Bay Power Board Progressing

Northern Advocate, 30 January 1939, Page 10

Bay Power Board Progressing

Arrangements are being made to land the next substantial shipment of poles for the Bay of Islands Electric Power Board at Mangonui. Reporting to this effect at the last meeting of the board, the consulting engineer, Mr Lloyd Mandeno, stated that on January 23, 1777 poles and 14,000 feet of sawn timber arrived by the s.s. Gabriella for discharge at Opua. Portion of this shipment was transferred at Auckland for despatch to Awanui, the balance being distributed to Kawakawa, Moerewa, Kaikohe, Okaihau, Paihia and Russell. Pole Carting, During the month 185 poles have been carted to peg positions in the Kaikohe Town Board area and on the line towards Ohaeawai. The pole lorry was also engaged in clearing the depot yard of all the tree trunks and dumping them on sections within tne town area where residents desired them for firing.

'The pole lorry was also engaged in transporting heavy material from the station to the depot site, approximately 62 tons being shifted —also in sorting and stacking poles at the railway station, Pole Gang. As material has arrived, more men have been employed, and at present seven men are engaged, including the pole lorry driver and his assistant. The pole gang has been employed in opening holes for poles in what is known to be rocky country, many of the holes having to be blasted. Holes are now dug from one mile east of the main sub-station to Pakaraka. Pole Fitting. Forty low-tension poles have been fitted ready for erection in the township area, and the pole lorry driver and another man have been doing the fitting pending the arrival of more poles.

Surveys.

The main line from the sub-station site has been pegged' to Pakaraka, and plans prepared and forwarded to State departments concerned. The survey is now proceeding from Pakaraka to Moerewa.

In preparation for the near arrival of further poles, preliminary surveys have been made of the routes from Opua to Paihia and Opua to Russell, with a view to selecting suitable land-

ing sites and ascertaining the requisite approximate number of > each class of pole.

Poles. ' ; • . V Last month 413 poles were received ex the Port Tauranga and delivered to Kaikohe. A temporary gang was engaged to unload and stack these in the Kaikohe railway yard, a number being taken directly from the trucks to pole sites.