POWER BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 21648, 9 March 1932, Page 9

POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. • REPORTS OF OFFICERS. The monthly meeting of the Southland Electric Power Board was held yesterday. There were present: Messrs E. Bowmar (chairman), J. T. Carswell, W. McChesney, W. Hinchey, D. J. Heenan, P. Arnott, W. M. Norman, A. A. Mac Gibbon, T. Golden, A. le H. Hoyles, T. A. Buckingham and J. D. Rodger. Chief Engineer’s Report. The following monthly report was presented by the chief engineer (Mr L. B. Hutton) :— Power Station: The output for the month was 2,016,630 units, an increase of 14,660 over January (in spite of the short month) and an increase of 45,000 over February, 1931. The peak reached 5420 k.w. at 11.30 a.m. on Thursday, the 4th, and the biggest day was Tuesday, the 16th, when 80,800 units were generated. The rainfall was 3.55 in. and the level of the lake has been maintained high. Ordinary maintenance work was carried out on the plant. Transmission Line: The Monowai-Winton section was patrolled and found satisfactory, and the balance of the month has been put in on the Winton-Invercargill telephone section, replacing joints and cutting out wire frayed at insulators. An intermittent fault was located at the Invercargill end and repaired. At 7.30 a.m. on 29th a surge occurred on the transmission line, but no cause has so far been located. Winton Area: The construction party has been engaged largely in service line overhaul and transformer changes, fn districts where service cutouts had not been fitted, such as North Winton, East Limehills, Boggvburn, Benmore, Otapiri, Hedgehope and Otautau, both gang and faultsmen have erected them. Trees were cut at Otapiri, Caroline, Wairio and Fairfax to Otautau. In 11 cases, the capacity of transformers was changed, two cases being damaged, five decreased and four increased. The positions of three were changed to afford a more even service. Six new service lines were erected in various parts of the area. Towards the end of the month a move was made to Orepuki, where an extensive line overhaul seems very desirable. Invercargill Area: A total of seven service lines were erected, four being single phase, one three phase and two changed from single to three phase. One damaged transformer was replaced at Morton Mains. New line work consisted of a short conversion at Otara and a service line change at Mill Road. At Cooper's corner two new switches have been erected which will permit of less cut off in certain areas in the event of breakages in Nos. 1 and 2 feeders. At Kapuka an 11,000-volt branch line was overhauled, together with the low tension. Several service lines were repaired and low tension was overhauled at Mokotua,' Timpany’s, Toa, Rimu, Waimatua and Roslyn Bush. Some attention was given to the 11,000-volt double circuit poles through the Waihopai swamp. Transformer overhaul has been proceeding on No. 4 feeder east of the Mataura River, and during the coming month several changes will be made. Gore Area: Two serious interruptions took place, one of 50 minutes on No, 6 being due to a broken wire, and of 25 minutes on No. 4, due to a fallen tree. No. 7 (Gore Borough) feeder was open by arrangement on Sunday, the 21st, and 28th in the afternoon, to allow of necessary alterations; and on the 14th the incoming 11,000-volt panel and the 66,000-volt line were deadened to allow of cleaning. On No. 4 feeder two men continued reconditioning, and also relieved faultsmen on leave. In Gore Borough the north circuit street lighting was overhauled and replaced where necessary and pole erection in William street commenced. The main transformer bank in Gorton street, which is due for remodelling, was begun and the rewiring of the switchboard at the pumping station completed. Two services were run and two transformers changed. House Wiring: Twelve new consumers were secured and nine installations connected. The extensions made to old installations numbered 60. Two ranges and 14 motors —the latter having a total horse power of 15—were added, the total additional load from all sources being 59 k.w. Fifty-one promises were re-inspected, bringing the total to date up to 2336.

Secretary’s Report. Tlie secretary (Mr Charles Campbell) presented the following monthly report:— The improvement on the whole of the funds ('over last year)' is £5848 2/11. The board’s overdraft with the local bank stands, to-day, at £50,063 15/9. To arrive at the true comparison with the overdraft at this time in the previous year, viz., £18,946 7/7, the sum of £41,250 on investment in London due to early despatch of interest payments due in London on March 15 must be taken into account, also the cost of the remittance, viz., £3918 15/-. Also £5OOO must be added to the difference, being the balance of the temporary loan advanced from Power Fund No. 3 for the pufpose of keeping the overdraft at the bank within the prescribed limit). By this process the overdraft figure in comparison with the previous year is £9B£s 0/9, a decrease of £9051 6/10 below the previous year’s figures. Ihe receipts from the various sources for the 47 weeks ending February 27, excluding the temporary advance from Power Fund No. 3, totalled £132,559 14/11, the comparative figure for the same period for the previous year being £126,572 14/4—an increase of £5987 0/7. The expenditure against the revenue at this date totals £140,122 1/1, whilst the figure for the previous year taking into account advance interest payments and cost of remittance (unpaid at this date last year) was £141,855 13/6, a decrease of £1733 12/5. The increase in exchange on London over last year is £1505, whilst the decrease in salaries and wages stand at £2625 9/5. The ordinary field expenditure this year in comparison with the previous year is then £2625 9/5 greater. Of this. £1687 is accounted for by purchase of new motor vehicles. Approximately £6OO is attributed to special equipment purchased for special installations, while the balance £338 covers the miscellaneous section. The decrease in the overdraft is reconciled as follows : Increase in receipts, £5987; decrease in expenditure, £1733; decrease in commencing overdraft, £1331; total £9051. General: The executive of the Farmers’ Union approved of the board’s suggestion as to the form of amendment to the clause in the Act. dealing with non-reticulated property rates, hence the amendment has been forwarded to the Power Boards’ Association. Some idea of the extent to which we have found it necessary to make “personal” calls upon consumers in country districts for the purpose of collecting accounts may be gained from the following figures: Calls, Calls, Calls,

Average account per call £3 17/- £3 18/- £2 8/4 Increase for 1931-32 over previous year —74 per cent. (Six weeks still to go to complete the year). •• 1929-30 1930-31 1931-32 Amount collected £2,423 £2,351 £2,453 These figures and the knowledge which we have of the position indicates that the right lines are being followed in respect of the making of a charge or "collection fee” in certain cases. Details of the revaluation figures show that over our whole area the net rating value will be, approximately £11,000,000 as against £14,000,000 for last year. A statement respecting the rating position will be submitted at the next meeting? The usual authortiy of the board enabling the office to pay outstanding vouchers and make the necessary financial adjustments at the end of the financial year

1 Gore district 929-30 1930-31 1931-32 233 189 392 Winton district 133 121 181 Invercargill district 183 180 307 Edendale district 18 41 67 Lumsden district 13 36 49 Otautau district 101 121 211 Orepuki district 60 56 84 Total No. 741 744 1,291 Amount involved £2,853 (to £2,899 £3,122 11/2/32 only)