WAITAKI ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23333, 27 October 1937, Page 4

WAITAKI ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Waitaki Electric Power Board was held yesterday morning, there being present Messrs James McDiarmid (chairman), R. Milligan, D. J. Ross, James Newlands, J. M. Forrester, A. Mclnnes and K. ramilton.

.Five applications under new range terms were approved. The chairman reported on the opinions expressed at the recent power boards' conlerence by Mr R. Semple (Minister of Public Works) and Mr Kissel, which indicated that the Government did not intend adopting a scheme of nationalisation of electrical supply. The board's letter of .;ympathy to Mr A. B. Lang in his ill-health was acknowledged by Mr Lang, who was gramed leave ol absence. The Prime Minister (Mr M. J. Savage) wrote expressiiig gratitude for the response to the appeal for the King George V Memorial Fund. Accounts totalling £6927 4s 9d (power fund account £5670 lis Bd, loan account £1256 13s Id) were passed for payment.

Financial Report The Finance Committee reported the following balances and receipts, the figures for September, 1936, being shown in parentheses: —Power i 1 unci, £2oUS 12s 3d: electricity loan account, £1894 12s lid; receipts—currrent, £3251 16s 4d (£2750 5s lOdi; fittings and house wiring, £1152 2s 2d (£B3O 16s 9d>; cash sales. £37 16s 9d (£6l 10s 3d); total' £4441 15s 3d (£3642 12s lOd). At' September 30 the total sum ot advances under new range terms amounted to £15.972 0s 4d, and by payments this had been reduced to £77116 18s 4d. . ~ t The recorded sales of electricity for the six months ended September 30 amounted to £21,377, as against the estimated figure of £20,668. fhe figures for the same period last year were £ 18,768 14s 4d. Mr Dalmer reported that an application had been received from the Kurow School Committee to run a temporary line for a loudspeaker at the Kurow racecourse for the gala in aid of the school baths funds. He pointed out that to carry out the work safely and legally would involve a cost of £6 to £B, including inspection by an inspector. The board, unless the work was inspected properly, would run a grave risk of damages if anything went wrong, and it was necessary for the

board to take every measure for the safety of human life,- and every care had to be taken with temporary lines -—lt was decided to advise the committee of the cost, and offer to put in the line temporarily provided the committee paid two-thirds of the cost. . The Duntroon Water Supply Committee wrote asking the board to connect the board's property at Duntroon with the scheme. —It was decided to support the scheme by connecting the property at a cost of £25 and a small annual running charge. Engineer's Report The engineer (Mr I. Dalmer) reported that the staff had carried out a considerable amount of work in various parts of the district, covering alterations and extensions in the Haka Valley. Kurow and district, Duntroon. Ngapara, Tokarahi, Weston, Alma, Reidston, Hampden, Kartigi, Kakanui, Awamoa, Airedale, Pukeuri. Richmond, Awamoko and the completion of the Maerewhenua supplv. including a hightension line in the Duntroon district, The staff was now actively engaged in the main road line from Georgetown back towards Awamoko and Peebles and other lines were in hand and under negotiation. In the town several services had been erected, new mains added, and work was in hand with the provision of extra feeder for the north end and Main North road. A large crushing plant motor supplv was also in hand on the Waitaki Plains. Sixteen ranges had been installed. 14 water heaters, and 14 motors. 21 new consumers were connected up. 87 extensions and alterations. 75 transfers, etc., 55 re-inspections and tests, and 39 radio installations inspected. The load was 204 kilowatts, and the demand on the Government supply was 1973 kva. being a reduction on the previous month. The units received fi«r>m the Government were 984.600, 9077 units generated by water plant. 23G6 by oil engine, making a total of 996.043 units as against 831,457 units in September, 1936. Development was still proceeding, and in common with almost all supply authorities the board was faced with 'the necessity for substantial additions, both to the feeders and to substations and switchgear capacities. Stoppage of Supply Mr Dalmer reported that a serious stoppage of supply occurred at 6.25 p.m. on September £3, when a cable box failed at the Government sub-station at Weston, cutting off all Government supply. The ooard's plant was put into commission as soon as possible, but was aoie only to suppiy certain pans of the town, and the tesi oi ihe town and the whole of the country was completely without suppiy for four hours 44 minutes. Serious inconvenience was caused both in town and country, and some loss was sustained by poultry farmers. Owing to the difficulty and

delay in endeavouring to repair the cable box, the board's staff was requisitioned to run temporary connections at the Weston sub-station, also using one of the board's spare cables, to feed the Government's switchgear. Permanent repairs were made during the next two or three days, and a short shut-down was then necessary to change back to the proper cable. Urgent representations had been made to the Public Works Department to provide duplicate cabling, but the department seemed to be satisfied that the repaired cable box would give little cause for anxiety in the future, though the seriousness of the matter could hardly be over-emphasised. Mr M'lnnes asked if it would be possible to advise poultry farmers in the case of a fault occurring so that they could take steps to avoid losses. Mr Dalmer explained that there was one man at the power house, and he did not know what had occurred. Weston sub-station did not find out for a time, as the staff had to grope about in the dark to find out the fault. The man at the power house was besieged with telephone inquiries, and wanted to start his machine. What could he do? He could not possibly advise anyone because he did not know how. long power would be off. The board could supply only the essential services in the town. He had sent a man to the Post Office to intercept telephone calls and explain the position. The power house telephone went out of order because there were so many relays working together. Mr McDiarmid said the staff had done all that was possible, and would continue to do so. Mr Forrester said the stafT was to be congratulated on what they had done in the emergency. Conferences ' The chairman (Mr McDiarmid), secretary (Mr C. F. Jones), and engineer (Mr I. Dalmer) submitted reports on the conferences they had attended in Wellington. Papers were read and discussed and much valuable work was done. It was indicated that in electrical matters New Zealand was in many respects well ahead of Australia. It was abundantly evident that electrical developments in New Zealand had been little short of amazing, and they had nothing to be afraid of by comparison with any other country for general supply, particularly rural distribution. The reports were received, and the chairman and officers thanked.