POWER FOR WAITEMATA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19027, 26 May 1925, Page 11

POWER FOR WAITEMATA

THE BOARD'S NEGOTIATIONS. . A SUCCESSFUL MISSION. ■ i. \ CONCESSIONS BY DEPARTMENT. Tho mission of Mr. J. W. Hayden, chairman of tho Waitemata Electric Power Board, and Mr. W. R. T. Leighton, one of his colleagues, to Wellington has resulted in an arrangement with the Government highly- advantageous to tho district. In threo days of negotiation with tho Minister for Public Works and tho officers ti of his department tho board's emis- £ saries secured an agreement which will ensure both capital expenditure and maintenance by the department that was originally to have fallen upon tho board and also a saving in locally provided maintenance, depreciation on cost of lines and sinking fund to tho extent of £2500 a year, besides a material speed-ing-up in the time for the provision of electrical energy for Takapuna, Birkenhead, Northcote, Helensville, New Lynn and outlying country districts. Until last week it was contemplated that tho board would have to take its supplies from the Government at four points, namelv, New Lynn, Kumcu, Hobsonville and Takapuna. Under the new arrangement, two points only aro provided for, one between Henderson and Hobsonville for tho country area, .and tho other at Takapuna for the Waitemata boroughs. The Government has also undertaken to carry, at its own cost, a 50,000-volt lino up to the boundary of the Takapuna borough and to bear tho expense of its maintenance from year to year. Tho scheme provides for a duplicate line for tho whole distance between Penrose and the terminals, so, that the possibility of an interruption of supply is practically out of the question. Mode of Distribution. Now that tho Power Board has the essential points of its plans mapped out arid its engineer is furnished with the necessary data as to the, length of transmission lines to bo erected, it will be possible to proceed at once to develop out its mode of procedure. It proposes to take an 11,000-volt line from the Takapuna sub-station to Northcote and Birken- ! head and another across Takapuna borough to its furthest end—that adjoining the Devonport boundary—with an extension into Devonport if the negotiations , now afoot with the council of that borough come to fruition. An offer has been made to Devonport on terms which it seems hardly possible that the council can reject. It seems almost certain that Devonport will come into the scheme, if not as a partner, at any rate as a customer for power. Negotiations are also in progress. between the board and the Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Company for the supply of the requisite power for the electrification of its tramway service and these also give promise of an early consummation.. As regards the northern section of the , power district an 11,000-volt line will be run from the country sub-station to Helensville and another to New Lynn, serving also the countrysides en route. In the locality immediately to the north of Takapuna it is intended to extend the supply in due course as far as Brown's Bay and also the farming areas between there and Waiwera, should a canvass of the settlers disclose the prospect of a sufficient load for such a branch line from Takapuna sub-station to be self-sup-porting. Supply for the Boroughs. The regular meeting of the board will be held next Monday, when it will bo proposed to give authority to the engineer to invite tenders for the supply of poles and wire, with a view to putting the work of reticulation in hand at the earliest possible date. It is estimated by the Public Works Department that it will have extended its own lines as far as the Takapuna sub-station in about nine months. Whether the power board will, < by that time be ready for the swtchingon of the current will depend upon the time-feature of the contract for the supply of the hardwood poles, which to be obtained from Australia. Every effort, however, will be made to secure the lighting of the districts as soon as possible after energy is available and it seems highly probable that the four boroughs can have their supply within 12 months from date.

The one set-off secured by the Government in exchange for the concessions which it has made is that the board has undertaken to give extra transmission lines >for the New Lynn and Kuineu districts. The cost of these lines is estimated at between £IO,OOO and £12,000. Seeing, however, that the board will save, according to its own estimates, £2400 per annum, the extra capital outlay will be repaid in five years at. most and thereafter the district will be relived for all time to the extent of the £2400 a year. Power for Milking Sheds. Another point of advantage about the new arrangement is that the main line through the Ivumeu district is now to be of the capacity of 11,000 volts. Had it been of 50,000' volts, as hitherto proposed, it would have been impossible for farmers' milking-sheds to have connected with wires carrying so* powerful a current. With an 11,000-volt servico the settlers will bo able to arrange for the tapping of the lino at any point required. One all-important clement of the scheme is its financial basis. The ratepayers of the power district, at last month's poll, gave authority for the raising of loans to the amount of £200,000. This amount will be raised in instalments, as required by the progress of the works. Negotiations "are now being carried on for the raising of the first instalment. The capital is available and there is every prospect that it will be secured at a favourable rat"? of interest.