HYDROELECTRIC POWER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17594, 6 October 1920, Page 6

HYDROELECTRIC POWER.

THAMES VALLEY BOARD. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT-] • TE AROHA. Tuesday. The Thames Valley Electric Power Board met at Te Aroha on Monday, Mr. F. M. Strange presiding. Notification was received from the district telegraph eneneer that he was unable' to agree to the. erection of electric lighting poles on the department's side of Station Road, Paeroa, as the obstacles on the other side of the road were apparently not insuperable. It was agreed to support the Auckland Provincial Employers' Association in its advocacy that the Public Works Department should arrange for all -licensing of wiremen throughout the Dominion. Mr. J. C. McDonald, of the Public Works Office at Paeroa, notified that. he would accept the position of draughtsman to the board. , The Minister for. Public Works wrote that he was having inquiries made as to the progress of the works at Arapuni, and also as to the feasibility of adding two extra units to the plant at Horahora. When reports came to hand he would advise the board. Advice was received from the Public Trust Office that £10,000 of the board's loan of* £50,000 is now available. The chairman reported that a temporary workshop -was being erected by day labour at Te Archa, to enable part of the plant to be housed, and to permit of boring a great quantity of rata crossarms that have been milled in the vicinity of Te Aroha. The work' was progressing satisfactorily. The board had been particularly unfortunate of late in obtaining supplies of hardwood poles from Australia, due particularly to the coal crisis. Coal boats had been bringing poles as deck cargo, and the inability to obtain coal supplies for the Dominion had prevented poles arriving. It was decided to proceed with the erection of depots at several centres in accordance with the engineer's recommendations. The Matamata depot will be one of the first put in hand.' Crossarms are being produced at tho Manwaiti mill at the rate of 250 per day. The first thousand will he sent to Paeroa. The architect reported that plans had been prepared for the Paeroa office, and the work of construction was in hand, though lack of supplies of cement was hindering progress. Plans for the new headquarters building a* Te Aroha would be prepared in time for next month meeting.

WAIRARAPA PROPOSAL. [BT TELEGBAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] MASTERTON, Tuesday. The Wairarapa Hydro-electric Board has decided, subject to the approval of the Government, to submit a proposal to the ratepayers of the hydro-electric district to raise a loan of £400,000 for the prosecution of the Waiobine hydroelectric scheme. v -