POWER SUPPLY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4042, 2 May 1938, Page 5

POWER SUPPLY

TE AWAMUTU BOARD. APRIL MEETING. The* monthly meeting’ of the Te Awamutu Electric Power Board was held on Friday, when there were present Messrs J. T. Johnson (chairman); A. L. Storey, J. G. Sutherland, W J. North, N. M. Lethbridge, J. B. Teasdale and J. C. Montefiore. CONGRATULATIONS. Intimation was received from the Town Clerk that Messrs John Cecil Montefiore and William James North had been re-elected unopposed as the Te Awamutu Borough representatives on the Board. The chairman voiced congratulations to both members upon their ree’ection unopposed, and remarked that it was gratifying to see confidence continued. The fact of no opposition indicated approval of the Board’s policy and satisfaction with the representation from the borough. THE PENSIONS SCHEME. When discussing the Government’s superannuation scheme, it was stated that it was merely an enlarged old age pension scheme. Present contributors to the national provident or general superannuation, who would be drawing in excess of £1 per week when superannuated would not be able to benefit by the Government scheme, though compelled to contribute. There was no proposal to refund contributions that they had paid in to the various funds. The opinion was expressed that the Government scheme would not be proceeded with, or that it would be very materially altered, for the public servants on a higher grade would be seriously penalised in the matter of their contributions already made. LOAN NEGOTIATIONS. The manager of the State Advances Corporation wrote in regard to the application for a loan of £lO,OOO, and offering to consider advancing the money for ten years on if twentyyear table. This at the end of the ten-year period, the balance owing would be £5858, payable in one sum. It was decided to continue negotiations for a loan along the lines suggested. It was mentioned that if the Board had to make provision annually for repaying a lump sum of over £5OOO at the end of ten years, it would entail an annual interest and sinking fund rate of 12 per cent. REPRESENTATION. Advice was received from the Public Works Department that approval had been given to the proposal for amending the basis of representation from the several local body districts, but retaining the personnel at eight. Five of the present members would now represent the combined areas of part of Waipa and Raglan Counties. SUPPLY WANTED. Mr W. I. Bowyer, Otorohanga, wrote pointing out that it was nearly two years since negotiations were commenced to obtain supply to his farm, and that he was assured by a Board officer that the work would be put in hand right after Christmas. The manager said all the available staff were busily engaged on other develop’ment lines, and it had been impossible to deal with Mr Bowyer’s request. Mr Bowyer’s farm was in the- Board’s outer area.

Mr J. E. Bethune, new Mangere Road, Pukeatua, asked the Board to consider extending its present'line to supply his farm, and three other settlers, all about half-a-mile from the end of the present line. The Waitomo Board had undertaken to do everything possible to supply from Te Awamutu Board. In the matter of both requests, it was mentioned that to give supply beyond the end of the present nearest lines would entail strengthening those lines for a greater voltage. Mr A. Morris, Owaikura Road, Otohanga, inquired when power would be available on that road, which was off the Pirongia-Otorohanga Road. He was considering installing a milking plant for the new dairying season.— Referred to the secretary for reply. The chief electrical engineer of the Public Works Department asked for a report on an application on behalf of Mr Charles Meredith to erect a power line across A rapuni Lake to supply his farm, which was in the Thames Valley Board’s territory.— Referred to the staff for a report. ABOUT THE POLES. The Te Awamutu Borough Council forwarded approval for a pole in Sloane Stret to be erected on the new kerb line opposite the angle of the post office building where the new wing adjoining the old portion. The Board was invited to inspect a new type of power pole, similar to those being used by the Central and W'aitomo Boards. The opinion was expressed that the Board would sooner or later be forced to use concrete poles, for timber poles were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. POWER TO KAWHIA. The chairman referring to the attitude of the Central Waikato Board over the suggested extension of lines to or towards Kawhia, said the Control Board’s letter indicated that that body was being scrupulously fair, and he thought a reply should be sent thanking them. This was agreed to unanimously. The Kinohaku branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union wrote inquiring if there was any possibility of the Board considering the extension of its proposed Kawhia line to serve the Awaroa, Waiharakeke, Taparoa and Marokopa ridings of Kawhia County “That seems a very ‘bare’ area at present,” commented a member. It was decided to investigate the matter as soon as opportunity permitted, but meantime there, will be no avoidable delay in pressing on with the project to give supply to Oparau and Kawhia. EXTENSION OF LINES. The chief electrical engineer of the Public Works Department advised

that the Post and Telegraph Department had no objection to construction of the proposed 3300 volt extension line in the Te Kopua area. Approval was also given and application for extension in Ellis’ Road, Kio Kio; filing’s Road, Ngahape, and Lawry’s Road, Korakonui. “PROTECT THE TREES.” The secretary of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture forwarded the following remit from the recent conference: “That the attention of the Government, and of appropriate local authorities, be drawn to the desirability of greater care being exercised in connection with the cutting back or destruction of trees adjacent tc telegraph or high tension wires or a’ong the proposed route of such wires.” PROBABLY A RECORD. “The engineering department has been exceedingly busy, and the mileage of line erected this month probably constitutes a record,” commenced a member when the monthly report of the works foreman was read, showing that 34 miles of wire, exclusive of service lines, had been erected, besides dismantling 150 chains of small section wire. SKILLED MEN SCARCE. The chairman remarked that the shortage, of competent wiremen was hampering reticulation in the districts all over the Board’s territory. The shortage seemed to be even more acute in some of the other board’s areas. Competent wiremen were in very short supply. It was explained that wiremen could not operate except under the supervision of registered men. All the contractors were being hampered in their work through the shortage.