POWER BOARD AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19235, 26 January 1926, Page 12

POWER BOARD AFFAIRS.

THE HORAHORA STOPPAGES. POSITION OF DEPARTMENT. MINISTER TO BE APPROACHED. The Auckland Electric Power Board met yesterday. The, chairman. .Mr. W. J. Iloldsworth, presided, and there were also present: Messrs. S. J- HarbuU, T. wtoodworth, R. (1. Clark, E. If. Potter, H. I. Goldie, J. Rowe. J. Derapsey, J. Park, S. 1." Crookes and M. J. Bennett. In response to a request, the chiet electrical engineer oi the Public M om.s district at Hamilton furnished information explaining the numerous stoppages ui Horaliora power during the past- months. He expressed the view that the only way to get over the difficulty immediately would be to divide the station so as to make the Auckland board independent of the rest of the Auckland district. However, he desired the present system to be given a further trial. It was agreed to approach, the Minister of Public Works on the mutter. With reference to a petition from Weymouth residents, who urged the reticulalaiion of the district, the general manager, Mr, R. 11. Hartley, reported that the total cost of the work would be £2450, and the estimated revenue £525 a year, which amounted to only 13 per cent, of the capital outlay. The charges for summer cottages had been allowed for at the minimum rate of £2 a year, which could probably be increased to £3 without inflicting hardship. It was decided to proceed with the work. It was also decided to proceed at once with the reticulation of the Wiri district, excepting certain side roads. In regard to a petition from East Tamaki, the general manager reported that the request was for information only. The reticulation of the district had been allowed for in the estimates. A petition from 62 residents of Bucklands Beach was referred to the general manager tor a report.. It was stated this work had also been provided for -in the estimates. TIMBER FOR POWER POLES. LEARNING BY EXPERIENCE, " SPOTTED GUM '* NOT SUITABLE. [BY TELEOJIAFH.—-OWN COKnrsrONPF.KT. j TE AWAMUTB. Monday. A riiscussknn regarding the failure of certain power transmission polls took place at the meeting oi th.e Te Awamutu Power Board. The Public Works .Department's electrical engineer for the Waikato, Mr. T. MrmLennan, recently wrote to the board asking if it was correct, that the board" had used bhiegntn and silver birch for poles. The manager. Mr. X). Me.Arthur, denied that these poles were used. He said the low-tension cross-arms were bhiegtim and they were quite satisfactory, but most of the poles that tad to be replaced were of the euealypt variety known as the spotted gum. This was not at all a suitable timber for poles. About 203 of the spotted gum. poles had to. be, replaced. Signs of trouble were evidenced when the sap swelled above the ground level and burst, ".the heart being exposed to the weather. On some of the .poles.: .fungus formed, -and this, or the swelling' previously referred to. was a snre ' indication of. a rotten' pole. The board could not have foreseen that the. spotted ••?unt poles would'' prove - unsv.ilsable.

'MY. F, 'C. Darnell contended that all nWg the board had asod irasoaahh' pradonee, .It should not be forgotten that they gW3<iJ«d largely by the advice and statements of Oovsrnnisnt who well knew that thft board members, in oer.nnon with -nearly fill other power Wards, wore ww to the bnsiness, and not win! informed as to th« -qaaHiks of Anitralian Th<»y had fount? by oxperienee that th? timber supplied was not all good. b«- th« board was not ifene in'that- discovery, The board had been informed, rightly or wwagh-, that the Australian shippers or millers wonld not accept orders for one sporios of timber alone, and that they would only supply mixed hardwoods- "For some time past, however, only genaine ironharfc had been ased. TE AWAMTTU PI STRICT. STEADY GROWTH OF DEMAND. |%t' msiMtM'Ssi Poßiß.issrcsnit.Kr. ] *3B AVAMTTIk Hasiity. Severity-seven applications have been received bv the Te Awamntn IVwer Board for the position of works foreman •eer.dered ""vacant bv th<e restoration of lit, V. 1\ -Meyer, ' Tin- i'dockon, by a process of elimination, is eapeoted to takfe a, fortnight, The board now has 1068 lighting plants. 373 oow pUvrts, 'SO other "piwor plants, £5 - watar perap j»ol»rs arid 45 oleetric -stoves connected «p. The rr.rnber is" Inorofising steadily month bv month. The revonae for November, t§SS, was £3s44v 'oxchisive, of readings in the Kw«-j;h of 'To Awamntn. For November. ;i&24, the- reveane was .£3460.