POLES FOR POWER LINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19320, 6 May 1926, Page 10

POLES FOR POWER LINES.

HARDWOOD V. CONCRETE. THAMES VALLEY PLANTING. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN* CORRESPONDENT.] MOKKLNSVILLE. Wednesday. During a meeting at Morrinsville to hear the Thames Valley Electric Power Board's proposed loan of £150,000 explained a question was asked why concrete poles were not used instead of wooden ones. The engineer, Mr. N. G. McLeod, said he could not show that a concrete pole was a better proposition. Although a concrete polo of suitable strength was permanent and ironbark poles would last only approximately 14 years, ho could not recommend concrete as the cheaper proposition. Con ere to poles, in his opinion, were not everlasting, as, due to strain, they cracked and admitted moisture, but for the purposes of comparison he had assumed they were everlasting. Mr. Claxton, chairman of the board, said that out of 25,0-00 poles used by the board it had been found necessary to remove only 42, and 52 were under observation. He detailed the board's scheme of planting 600 acres for the purpose of growing hardwood trees for use as poles. Assuming that ironbark poles 30 years hence wcro selling at the same price as at present, the scheme would ensure the board a return of 15 per cent, on the. money invested. By planting 10 acres of the. land each year the board would, in 30 years' time, have a supply of 3000 poles each year.