Electricity for Clifton

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 69, 18 October 1930, Page 3

Electricity for Clifton

FOWEK BOARD TO APPLY FOR FOR LOAN TO HAVE CURRENCY OF TEN YEARS. AMrLB REVENUE INDICATED BY HE-CANVASS. In a report on the proposed Clifton loan, the chairman (Mr H. G. Carman) recommended that application be made for a loan of £32,000 for ten years with a sinking fund of 2& per cent., with a proviso (if considered necessary) that at the expiration of the ten years, a fresh loan would be raised for the balance, after allowing for reduction of the total by amount at credit of sinking fund account. The Resident Engineer reported having re-Canvassed the Clifton district, with the following result: Immediate revenue £2425 per annum, probable later revenue £1221 per annum. Adding £4OO as beiug a rea-

souable estimate of revenue to be expected from the dairy factories. This gave a total revenue of £4046. The total revenue shown at the previous canvass was £2955. The chairman said the Clifton peo. pie vliad shown that they wanted electricity, and on the figures submitted by the Engineer he did not thirik the Board need have any doubt a s to the future of Clifton. The probable revenue was over £4OOO, which was more than was required to pay all annual charges and give a reasonable profit. All. that- could be done now was to submit the fig- .£~ ures to the Loans Board and await their decision. Experience had shown that there was a difficulty at ih exactly estimating the revenue from the sale of electricity, i The demand for electricity was growing daily, and he had no doubt that in a few years the Clifton' revenue would show a marked increase over the present estimate. ,\H)it Matchant expressed pleasure /-it the figures presented .to. the Board. He felt .that the delay had been justified, ana that consequently they were ranch further ahead. The Clifton people recognised that the Board was their only source of supply— that they could not get electricity elsewhere except with the Board's sanction—and on the figures supplied he felt sure the loan would be carried. ■ I

The chairman said he was pleased that Mr Carman had given a lead by recommending a short-term loan. Personally, he had always favoured a short-term loan. On Mr Foreman's motion it was unanimously decided to apply for "the loan for a term of ten years.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Resident Engineer (Mr B. 11. Goldsmith) reported that alt September 3(Uh the number, of consumers was 2088. Units generated during the month totalled 376,780. The largest daily output was 38,900 units on September 24th and the maximum ['demand was 2664 K.W., also on SepI temler 24th. New Plymouth drew I supply on 2,9 days of the month. InI stallations connected during the ! month were as follows, figures for | the corresponding period last year j being given in parentheses: .Milking motors 18 (14). other motors 2 (5), stoves 3 (5), water heaters 20 (.17), pumps 2 (4), lighting and heating 3D (34); Larger transformers had been placed bn Crown, Beacoiisfield and Salisbury Roads. A Kelman 'switch had been erected at Ahuroa Road. Alterations at the Opunake. Hastings Road corner have been completed. Advantage was taken of this job to alter the circuit arrangement, and with the installation of an additional switch it is now possible to feed M'ahoe via either Hastings Road or Opunake Road.

REVENUE. ! Following are revenue receipts for the six months ending September 30th, with the figures for the corresponding period of 1929 in parentheses: Rates 1930-31 £9; rates 1929-39 £2261, rates 19259 £935 (£5325), rates 1927-S £242 (£453), law cost s £S (£2l) t rent £4B (£BS), goods £1478 (£655), electricity £22,500 (£16,115), installations repaid £2785 (£5147), interest £179 (£243), miscellaneous £IBB (£92); total £30,633 (£25,134). The receipts from sale of electricity showed an increase of 39 per cent. FINANCE. I The- Finance Committee reported as follows: Power Fund Account at October 16th, £12,745 19s 6d, less receipts £4419 3s 9d, overdraft £8326 15s 9d; plus call deposits .C 2757) and Stratford loan (£255 18s sdh leaving a debit of £11,339 14 s 2d.

Loan Account: Credit last meeting £37 Ss 6d, transfer from Power Fund £150 ; receipts £145 6s, total £332 14s 6d less bank fee (ss) and accounts to pass (£271 lis lOd), leaving a credit of £6O 17s Sd. GENERAL. On Mr Gernhoefer's motion it was decided that a canvass be made of the Huiroa district. The secretary reported that 31 of the 50 Tarata ratepayers concerned had signed the petition asking for the supply of power.—The chair. man said the district would yield very little revenue, but it was handy to the lines. It was decided to offer a reward for information leading to the conviction of any person placing dead animals in the race. . Present at the meeting were: Messrs N. H. Moss (in the chair), H. J. Marchant, M. Gernhoefer, R. J. Knuckey, J. Dobson and C. Foreman.