OPUNAKE NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1925, Page 8

OPUNAKE NEWS.

POWER BOARD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The monthly meeting of the Opunake Electric Power Board was held at Opunake last week. Present: Messrs C. A. Trotter (chairman), W. L. F. Chambers, T. If. IL Sinclair, A. E. Collins, J. S. Tosland, and J. Hickey, junr. Mr. J. P. Burton was granted leave of absence. The engineer reported as follows: Construction. 25ft poles were obtained from the Kaponga Town Board to complete the Nopcra Road line. Wire for this extension has not yet come to hand, although delivery of same was promised some time ago. This section could be livened within a few days of the wire coming to hand. Warea Extension. —A start has been made with this extension, and the poles have been laid out as far as the Puniho Road, and one and a quarter miles from the western end of the Warea Road. The construction gang is at present working on the above section, and good progress is ' being made with the pole lines. Jxahui Road. —A further mile of secondary line has been completed and livened up. On the Lower Jxahui Road it was found that there is a very poor demand for pov/er, and I would not recommend any further extension on this road at present, there being only two lighting connections on the next mile of line. AVatino Road.—'One more consumer is required before any further extensions are advisable on the top end of this road. Tipoka Road. —A canvass and survey have been made on this road, and it promises to return well above the required percentage for the capital outlay. The total length of this line is a little over two miles, and I would suggest that the material to construst this extension be ordered immediately.

Insulators.—A further 050 high tension insulators are to hand, and it is desirable to get those placed on the Ihaia and Waiteika Roads as soon as possible. A section of the South Road line, from the Skeet to the Nopero Road, requires new insulators. This change will have to be made before next August. ■Supply to Kaponga.—Our supply was being used by the Kaponga Town Board as a stand-by until March 18. The transformer at the Awatuna sub has been removed and the supply discontinued altogether. Consumers.—The following • connecttions have been made during the month: Milking motors 2, lighting 7, water heaters 4. The report was adopted and the procuring of material for the Tipoka Road was authorised. Messrs Templin and Toogood. consulting engineers, in a report dealing with the AA r area extensions from Pungarchu to the Puniho Road, stated that they would be possible with the present voltage, and the engineer could proceed with the construction. The consulting engineers were of the opinion that the whole question of extensions and a new loan should be considered, including work already done in the outer area, so as to bring the whole district in on an equal footing, and if .so instructed, they would prepare plans and estimates and 6 *frame proposals for the work. They complimented the. engineer on the way the road had been brought on. and also with regard to the care exercised at the power-house. Extra assistance was recommended to enable proper attention to the overhaul of the turbines. The engineer should should also be given some assistance in keeping statistics, which were an absolute necessity if the development of the scheme was to be properly watched. It appeared that the scheme would pay very well next year, and it was the desire of the consulting engineers to see that rates were not altered in a detrimental manner, but without proper records sound advice as to progress could not be given. The engineer said a twin circuit would have to be run out to Rahotu, and he would like to have a little more information than that given concerning Messrs Templin in Toogood’s estimates of copper required. It was decided to request Messrs Templin and Toogood to furnish plans, etc., for the outer area reticulation in the terms indicated in the report. On the engineer's suggestion it was further decided to request the consulting engineers to report on the advisability of obtaining temporarily a certain amount of power for the outer area from the New Plymouth supply. A summary of financial operations for the year ended March 31, 1925, was tabled, showing receipts as £8489 0s 9d and payments as £7817 Os 3d, the credit balance at the bank having been increased from £7O 3s 3d at April 1. 192-1. to £1742 3s ‘9d at March 31. 1925. Returns for the month were as follows: Light. £228 2s 9d; general power. £l3B 10s Id: milking power. £213 Os 7d: supply to Kaponga, £lB, the total being £597 13s sd. Air. E. P. Burry, Solicitor. AA’ellingtoii, advised that the board's application for an additional £7OOO, being ](i per cent, of the original loan of £70,0(10. had been lodged with the Public Trustee. He stated there was every reason to belies e That the loan would be granted. The formal resolution authorising the raising of the loan was adopted, it being also resolved to lev t y a special rate of oue-tcnlh of a penny in the £ to cover interest, sinking fund, and other charges.