POWER FOR TARANAKI

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1926, Page 11

POWER FOR TARANAKI

THE TARIKI SCHEME TURBINES START NEXT WEEK. PROGRESS OF THE WORKS. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Electric Power Board was held at Eltham yesterday. Present: Messrs H. G. Carman (chairman), X? h. Were. 0. E. McGuinness, R. J. Knuckey, J. Dob'son, T. R. Anderson, J. T. Belcher and C. Foreman. The consulting engineer. Mr, H. R. Climie, reported as follows: .Main Tunnel.—No. 1 adit has been closed and the concreting of the main tunnel was completed on the Sth inst. It is expected that the removal of the construction plant, rails, etc., and the erection of the screens and main valve will be completed in about a week’s time. The tunnel will then be well flushed out and completely filled. Mako Stream. —The work of deepening the approach to the main tunnel was suspended for over three weeks but was recommenced on the Sth. as soon as drainage through the main tunnel was available. With fair weather this work should be completed in about a week’s time. Tail Race—Except for a parapet on the outlet, the concreting of this tunnel has been completed and the race cleared of the slip that occurred in October. A gauging weir will be erected this week,, and the turbine pits cleared of debris. Tariki Water Race. —Work by one of the concreting gangs was suspended about a fortnight ago owing to the impracticability of working one gang immediately above the other. On this account about three chains immediately above the Salisbury Road remains to be concreted. With fair weather this should be completed in ten days. Mangaotea Water Race.—The contractor for this work has encountered quantities of timber, mostly of small size. Steady progress has been made, however, and we anticipate no delay in getting water through it from the Manganul when required by the turbines. Mangaotea Tunnel.—Good progress has been made in enlarging this tunnel, only a chain and a-half remaining to be done. The rainfall recorded at the headworks during November was 11 inches, as against 20 inches recorded in October. The fine weather experienced this month has permitted the carting of the balance of shingle and cement over the clay road to No. 1 shaft, thus obviating the trucking of it Through'the tunnel from Motukawa. The rainfall, however, has recently only just been sufficient to maintain the temporary supplies of power. The Kupara Road has been put in fair order by means of the grader. The fencing of the Ratapiko Read deviation has been completed.

Reticulation. —Poles have been erected and trees cut on the Croydon Road. The erection of the switchgear on the main sub-stations at Motukawa, Stratford and Eltham, has been completed and these sub-stations are now ready to be put into service. A leakage relay lias been installed on the main transmission line for the purpose of cutting off the power automatically, should a wire come down. The greater part of the main transmission line has been overhauled, and bolts tightened up, in preparation to put it into service on 33.000 volts. Whenever the weather permitted, the lorries have been engaged in rushing shingle and cement into No. 1 shaft to complete the lining of the tunnel. Given fair weather, the work should be sufficiently advanced next week to permit the tunnel to be filled and tested, and the turbines started up by the end of next week. The resident engineer (Mr. B. H. Goldsmith) reported as follows: The number of consumers to date is 1152. Twenty-five installations are ready for service and eight further jobs are authorised. A successful display was made at the Stratford Show, the demonstration of electric cooking in particular, exciting a considerable amount of interest. Many inquiries were made in connection with milking, pumping, cooking, etc., and a large number of pamphlets were distributed. A start will be made on tha wiring of the power station on December 20, two of the youths who are to be operators being detailed for the work. The builder considers he will have the smaller building sufficiently advanced by that time to allow it, to be used for sleeping.

The superintendent of the State Advances Office advised that the Minister of Finance, in terms of the Local Bodies’ Loans Act, 1926, had consented to the payment of interest on the loan of £lO.000 at G per cent, per annum. A sub-committee was appointed to meet the New Plymouth Borough Council with a view to negotiations for the taking over by the Taranaki Board of the Inglewood and Waitara supply. The fixing of the date for the official opening of the works was left in the hands of the chairman and the engineer.