POWER BURDEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23817, 19 November 1940, Page 8

POWER BURDEN

STATE HOUSING NEEDS GREAT COST TO BOARD BRITISH APPEAL QUOTED The liability of the Auckland ElectricPower Board in reticulating the large area at West Tamaki acquired'by the Government for a proposed State housing: scheme was discussed at a meeting of* the hoard yesterday. "We must realise our responsibility if housing construction should proceed in the near future," said the chairman, Mr. S. J. Hnrbutt. Tiie general manager, Mr. R. H. Bartley, estimated that, depending on the extent of the scheme, reticulation would cost between £124,000 and £138,000. Two feeders from the Penrose sub-station would be required to serve a sub-station in the area to supply separate feeder points situated in accordance with the load. Shortage ot Materials '"lf the work has to be undertaken ia the war period there will be extreme difficulty in obtaining materials," Mr. Eartlev continued. "Moreover, equipment would be far more costly than in normal times. In my estimate I have allowed for costs increasing from 2o to 30 per cent, although it is possible they may rise by 40 or oO per cent." Mr. Harlnitt said he did not think any board in New Zealand was justified in launching out ori such a costly scheme, in view of the appeal by British authorities to "tighten our belts" and conserve material for war purposes. If the Government went ahead with its project, the board would require about six to nine months to obtain its equipment, and the work would take from ten to twelve months. Report to be Obtained "We should make representations to the Government to acquaint it with the difficulties we will be up against unless we arc ;;iven a long time to put our orders through," said Mr. Harbutt. "At the same time, we should suggestthat this is not an opportune time to be doing such work." Some members argued that the board should begin to concern itself when the project was started. Others held that the board should look ahead and be ready to do its part immediately. It was decided that the emergency committee should report on the matter to the next meeting of the board.

EQUIPMENT NOT AVAILABLE DWELLINGS ALREADY BUILJ There are 354 State houses in Auckland which cannot be supplied with electricity owing to delay in the importation of reticulation materials, according to statements made at a meeting of the Auckland ElectricPower Board yesterday. The chairman, Mr. S. J. Harbutt, said there was a complete answer, the Government having failed to grant licences for import orders issued some time ago. The inspector of housing construction in Auckland. Mr. K. M. .Rowlings, wrote advising that 109 completed houses were being held tup because power could not be connected, and at October 24 an additional 245 houses under construction were also affected. A letter from the district public works electrical engineer, Mr. A. Caldwell, stated that the director of housing construction had advised that unless an early solution of the problem were offered he would be reluctantly forced to revert to gas for cooking and water-heating. "The board has not been delinquent in its duty, for it applied for licences to import the necessary material, but no reply has come from the Government," said Mr. Harbutt. "The major difficulty has been obtaining transformers. Twenty second-hand ones received from the south will help to relieve the strain." The emergency committee was instructed to prepare a report for the next board meeting.