WAIROA POWER BOARD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19375, 13 July 1937, Page 2

WAIROA POWER BOARD

MEETING BULK SUPPLY ACCOUNTS arbitration on case (Herald Correspondent.) The monthly ;meeting of the Wait'on Power Board was held in Wairoa yesterday, those present being Messrs. C. V. Chamberlain, chairman, M. R. Shaw, J. Corkiil, D. D. Pr.yde, H. L. Barker, J. R. Gillespie, F. Stead, T. Davey and A. T. Carroll. The chief electrical engineer wrote pointing out that the board had defaulted seriously with regard to obligations as to re-inspections of consumers' installations under .regulation 51-43. —The chairman said the board understood that this had to be done sooner or later, but to do it meant an increase of the stall', which they were trying to avoid. The engineer said thfs work had to be carried out. evenfive years, after an installation had been in for that period, and it had to be done by registered wiremen, and so far they had not been able to get the men. On the motion of Mr. Barker, it was left to the chairman to go into the matter with the engineer and to report to next meeting, the department to be advised accordingly.—lt was pointed out that the chief difficulty was that the board could not carry out the work according to the regulations except by asking the local men to report, perhaps, on their own work.

Single Men's Quarters

The assistant electrical engineer, Tuai, asked for permission to erect single men's quarters for relieving linesmen and others on the board’s sub-station property.—lt was decided to refer the matter to the works committee, with power to act. Mr. Pryde suggested that the time had comc when the board might have to consider the building of cottages for some of its staff.

The Wairoa Borough Council wrote approving of the appointment of Mr. J. S. Barton, Wellington, as arbitrator in the bulk supply accounts dispute between the council and the board. Messrs. Sainsbury and Sainsbui’y inquired whether the submission to arbitration of the dispute was to be confined to the claim before the court or whether it was proposed that the whole question of supply since January 1, 193(3, should be determined. —It was decided, after some discussion, to only permit arbitration on the case as submitted by the judge. A section of the board held that under certain conditions a decision on the matter originally in dispute would leave the question of the price of supply still in the air, but the chairman held that they could only abide the issue as laid down.

Letters from Borough Council

A letter was- received from the Wairoa Borough Council (1) inquiring what action the board proposed to take to ensure a continuous supply of electricity to the borough pump motors, Frasertown; (2) advising that the proposal to supply pump motors through a 25 k.v.a. transformer was satisfactory provided no other consumer was supplied through the transformer: (3) advising that the board’s letter conveying its decision on its engineer's action regarding a petition in connection with the borough loan proposal of £2OOO had been received; and (4) regretting that the board was not prepared to answer the questions submitted in the council’s letter of February 5 regarding a shutdown, on the power lines on December 31, 1936.—1 n respect to the first matter, the engineer said the 25 k.v.a. was big enough, and eventually it was decided that the engineer and chairman should go into the matter with the borough engineer and the chairman of the borough water committee.

The Borough Council inquired if it was to be understood that the board did not desire to contribute in future towards the cost of entertainment of visiting Cabinet Ministers. —The chairman referred to the fact that there were no Power Board matters, pnd the frequency of the calls was a drain on the unauthorised account. Mr. Carroll said all received some benefit and all should pay a reasonable cost. Mr. Marker pointed out the value of the Ministerial visits, and said that out of every £lO ot benefit that came to the district the county got £9 and the borough about £l. He thought the cost ought to be apportioned on a valuation basis. Mr. Pryde considered there was only the county and the borough in the matter. It was decided, on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. Carroll, that the chairman should get in touch with the other bodies and decide on a reasonable quota. The Carnival Committee forwarded a statement showing a credit balance of £1 Is Id in connection with the Coronation celebrations.—Mr. Carroll voiced his appreciation of the fine work carried out by the committee at a small cost.

A motion was carried, on the motion of Mr. Marker, that the works committee should go into the question of keeping spares on hand to meet eventualities. Three motions completing the annual rates were passed.