POWER IN THE COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19736, 8 September 1927, Page 17

POWER IN THE COUNTRY.

SERVICES IN FRANKLIN. ACCOMMODATION FOR BOARD. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 1 PUKEKOHE. Wednesday The Franklin Power Board met yesterday, the chairman, Mr. J. Dean, presiding. A petition for a power line from Maketu to Ararimu was referred to the engineer, Mr. T. R. Overton, for a canvass and report. In regard to another petition, the engineer said power would bo supplied to Messrs. Hodgkinson, Gearon and others at Glenbrook, as soon as the weather was favourable for the erection of the line. Ihe building committee recommended that the board acquire a specified site in the main street of Pukekohe and erect thereon a two-storey building, to provide a permanent office and showroom for the board. The estimated cost of the land and building was given as £4200. A committee submitted figures showing that by letting part of the building not required by the board £8 a year on the present cost of temporary offices would be saved. Mr. J. Patterson contended that the board would be better advised to erect offices on its own property in Manukau Road, at a cost of about £2OOO. The committee's recommendation was adopted, and the committee was asked to have sketch plans prepared. An amendment that the matter be deferred for a month to allow members to study the report was supported only by Messrs. J. B. McKinney, Patterson and G. Arrowsmith. The engineer reported that surveys had been made and plans prepared for "power lines along the Waiuku-Drury Road and side roads in the Rnnciman-Paerata-Patu-mahoe area. The survey had also been made for a line to Guillard's quarry. It was stated that a preliminary report on reticulation in the portion of the board's area in the Raglan County was being prepared.

THAMES VALLEY AREA. PROGRESS OF RETICULATION. fliy TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] TE AROHA, Wednesday. The Thames Valley Electric Power Board met yesterday, the chairman, Mr. F. j Strange, presiding. The Franklin Power Board advised that j it would support any further, action of ' the Thames Board in opposing an increase in the Public Works Department's rates for the supply of power until the Arapuni station was in commission. In connection with the board's treeplanting operations at Waitakaruru, the State Forest Service, Rotorua, advised it had reserved 14,000 eucalpts to cover 20 acres, and also a further number for experimental purposes. The engineer, Mr. W. G. McLeod, reported that the area was ready for planting, and work would commence very shortly. The manager, Mr. R. Sprague, reported that the number of consumers connected to the board's mains on August 31 was 6579. There were now connected and operating 1157 water heaters and 197 electric ranges, and the number of motors connected and running on farms was 1965. The chief electrical engineer, Mr. W. G. McLeod, reported that in the Paeroa district work had been proceeding from Kaihere toward Patetonga, and on the Mangawbero Road. About two and a-half miles of 11,000-volt wiring, together with the necessary low-tension lines and hightension telephone line, had been completed. The supply should be available on Mangawhero Road during the month.