Power and Light

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 57, 9 March 1937, Page 10

Power and Light

MANAWATU-OROUA BOARD MEETS Present at yesterday's meeting of the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board were Messrs C. G. C. Dormer (chairman), J. A. Nash, M. A. Eliott, W. McKay, J. H. Mason, P. G. Guy, W. P. Bickers, W. G. Shannon, N. Campbell, J. Boyce and E. O. Bond. Leave of absence was granted Mr. J. Hodgens, M.P. Statement of Accounts. Installation and sales: The collections for the month amounted to £598 17s 8d; the amount outstanding is £3667 6s Id. Sales of current: Total for 10 months. 1936-37, £73,478 6s 2d; total for 10 months, 1935-36, £68,942 4s*Bd; increase, £4536 Is 6d. Bank balances: Loan account, £95 3s 2d; power fund account, £9079 ISs 6d. Engineer’s Report. General: The work of deviating the* lines for the Taonui acrodromo was completed while the work of changing over the supply from Tiritea to L-intou corner to 11,000 volts was completed, and livened up to the new voltage. This now gives us another alternative route to supply Linton, Longburn and the southern end of the district in the event of trouble on Boundary road route. This latter route will be taken out of service as opportunity permits for repairs, as there is still damage caused by the hurricane to be repaired permanently. We could not take this feeder out of service owing to supply to essential industries. A 50 k.v.a. transformer sub-station supplying an industry was altered to 100 k.v.a. to cope with enlargement of tho factory and duplication of plant. Repairs and maintenance have been carried out in Cameron’s line, where somo of the wires were changed lo larger sizo and others restrained, Makowhai, Cooper's line (11 spans changed to larger wired, Hewitt's road, Awapuni and Himadingi (consumers' services). A porcelain bushing on the automatic cubicle at Tiritea was changed as it had been punctured by lightning, while three wrecked lightning arrestors at Rongotea were replaced. At Scott's road alteration to wire sizes were carried out and a transformer shifted to suit increased load. New wires were erected in Cliff road, 3300-volt lines and maintenance carried out at the same time. In addition to the usual number of new service lines, maintenance work was carried out in various parts of the district, viz.: Halcombe, Main Drain road, Manga whata, Te Arakura, Bunny-

thorpe-Ashhurst area, Aorangi, etc. The’ new automatic reclosing, equipment for Feildirig borough has been completed and tested. The board procured the loose parts from England, while the steel cubicle was built locally and the assembling and wiring done .at the Bunnythorpe workshop. This ’ cub will bo erected probaoJy on Sunday March 7, so that Feilding borough li f ;.s will now be protected . by two automatics instead of one as formerly. In case of an interruption of power, this new cubicle which will control the business area of Feilding, will work .faster, than the original one thus mini mising the time the supply is cut off. A complete overhaul of the existing automatic equipments at Tiritea, Ashhurst and Sanson was carried out.

Kawhatau Valley: This valley which is on the extreme northern boundary of' the board's area (north of Manga - weka) is fairly well populated, and the farmers in that area, viz., Messrs I’. 11. Gorringe, H. Riley, M. Deighton, G. Bramley, K. Fraser, L. McCord and others are desirous of getting the power. Tho Kawhatau river is the boundary between this power board and Wanganui Rangitikei. The nearest line is several miles away with absolutely no prospects of getting anywhere ncai them, owing to the sparsely settled rough country intervening. Borne time ago, the Wanganui-Eangitikei Power Board was erecting an 11,000-volt line to Taihape and in passing Mangaweka, desired to come through the board's territory. There were several consumers who could get a supply by this means, and part of the ManawatuOroua area was transferred to the Wanganui-Eangitikei Power Board (which included part of the Kawbr.tau valley), but tho area now in question is north of the ceded area. The logical method to enablo these settlers in the Kauwbatau to get a supply to to refer the matter to the Wanganui-Eangitikei Power Board, as their line en route tu Taihape is not far away. If the Wan-ganui-Rangitikei Board can como to an arrangement with thorn for a supply of electricity, then the area could be transferred to that Power Board.

Trucks: At times the staff is up i against the matter of transport, and the three Chevrolet one-ton trucks which are over seven years old, should be disposed of and replaced by three other trucks, but one could be a light runabout type. This matter requires early attention.

New consumers: The following new consumers were given a supply during the month of February:—Lighting and

heating 7, ranges 4, water heaters 8. motors, for milking 2, industrial motors’ 13, other motors 6, additions to existing installations 18; total 58. Of the industrial motors, five motors totalling 48 horsepower were installed by one firm, 8J horsepower in five motors in another factory, and 33 horsepower -iu three motors in • another works, thus making a total of 39} horsepower foi the three consumers.

Poles: A shipment of poles arrived during the month, and while all the 31, 26 and 24 feet poles on order have arrived, the 35 feet sizes required for Limutoi line were short shipped. It is now seven months since they were ordered and the agents advise as follows: —“Oiir Sydney office advise us the delay is entirely due to the coastal shipping not being able to cope with the work in hand, owing to bad weather, shoaling of river bars, etc. We know you will realise that the fault is not ours, and we are forwarding your letter to Sydney,..and will advise you immediately we hear from them. There is not likely to be another vessel for Wanganui for a month to six ./weeks./ ’ The board has about 100 poles in stick now, and is making arrangements to start the Umutoi job as soon as possible, and while able to erect about four miles of line, it is hoped that the balance ol' the poles will arrive shortly. The poles are being slotted and bored in Feilding to save time fitting- tho arms when erecting the xioies at Umutoi. All transformers required for this job have arrived from England. Guaranteed line: A guarantee has been signed by a consumer (Mr. A. Akers) for a supply of power across the Pohangina river-from Ashhurst, which involves the building of nearly a mile of. line. The route has been selected and the necessary formalities to enter upon private property are now in train. Thirty chains of low tension lino were erected at Kakariki, this work haying been held up pending removal of trees. General. Seven signatures were attached to a petition from Motuiti settlers near Foxton, asking for power and light.— It was explained that the Horowhenua Power Board's line came within a stone's throw of the cluster of farms, whereas the Manawatu-Oroua Board’s line was some distance away. The board consequently decided to refer tho request to tho Horowhenua Board. 1 Mr. Nash, as president of the Power Boards' Association, reported that the association had been registered with the approval of the Minister as “The N.Z. Electrical Power Boards and Supply

Authorities Industrial Union of Employers. ' ’

The Power Boards' Association secretary forwarded rules and asked the board to,complete an enrolment form joining the union.

Mr. Nash also reported on progress made in the matter of obtaining a Dominion award which, ho said, would be in the interests of both boards and workers.

It was decided to join up with the union and the chairman and Messrs Guy and Campbell were appointed a committee to peruse the clauses of the skeleton Dominion award and either approve or alter so that the Manawat: Oroua Board's ideas can be made known to the association as soon as possible.