SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1927, Page 9

SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY

PROGRESS OF TARIKI SCHEME POWER FOR MILKING MOTORS. FREE LIGHT IN MILKING SHEDS. (From Our Own Reporter.) The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Electric Power Board was held yesterday. Present: Messrs H. G. Carman (chairman), J. T. Belcher, C. E. McGuinness, W. H. Were, T. R. Anderson, C. J. Belcher and J. Dobson. The resident engineer (Mr. B. H. Goldsmith) submitted the following report :—“The number of consumers to date is 1217. "Twenty-three are ready for connection and 35 further authorities are signed. The number of units generated during the month of March was 296,520, and the maximum demand of 624 k.w, occurred on March 23. Two settlers on "Windsor Road, Inglewood, wish to be connected to the board’s mains. They are on the side of Windsor Road which is in the New Plymouth area. An extension to the low tension lines of about eight Chains will be required. Lighting and heating only is required in each ease. “The change in the method of charging for milking motors, authorised at last meeting, involves a somewhat expensive alteration to the metering system in cow sheds. Under the old rate it was possible to use the same meter for the milking motor and the shed •light, but under the new rate it will be necessary to instal an additional meter in each shed to measure the energy used (by the shed light. I estimate the cost of this alteration, including the cost of new meters, at £2OO. There are two alternatives, one is to instal a single split coil meter in each shed in place of the existing meter. Energy for the mining motor would then Itp charged at 4Jd net per unit and for the shed light or lights at 6|d net per unit. Linder this scheme no new meters would be required, but the meter in most of the sheds would have to be altered. The other alternative is to make an annual charge for the light in the shed and not meter the energy supplied to it., I -would suggest an annual charge of 6s for each light in the shed. This is based on an assumption that the light is not required for six months of the .year, i.e., during the summer and during the part of winter that the motor is not in use, and estimating the value of the energy at Is per month.” The chairman said permission would have to be obtained from New Plymouth to serve the two settlers on Windsor Road. The engineer said he did not think there would be any trouble about this and the application of the settlers was agreed to, subject to the necessary permission. In regard to power for milking motors and lighting in slj&ds, the engineer explained that there were about 180 milking sheds served and the cost of installing each meter would be 235. Mr. Anderson said everything should be metered.

The chairman said the question was whether to spend up to £2OO for installing meters as suggested by the engineer, or to adopt a flat rate. Opinion appeared to be against spending the amount on new meters. The engineer suggested giving one free light in each shed served by an electric motor. Putting in the extra meters was not considered a payable proposition and the members favoured the engineer’s suggestion. After some discussion it was resolved “that no charge be made for the current for one light in each cow shed where a motor is installed.” FINANCES OF THE BOARD.

The financial statement up to April 11 revealed a credit balance in the power fund account as at the date of the last meeting of .£8353 11s Id, while amounts received since that time were as follows: —goods sales, £24 Is 7d; current, £lOO6 12s lid; installations, £9OO 15s 9d; interest, £44 8s lOd; rates and penalty, £3 4s 3d; making total receipts to the amount of £1979 3s 4d. The grand total was £10,332 14s sd, less £3OOO transfer to loan account and accounts passed for payment £2782 Os 9d, leaving a credit of £4550 13s 9d.

The loan account was in debit £1553 Ils 6d, and accounts passed amounted to £7566 4s lid, a total debit of £9119 16s sd. Since that date the following amounts had been received: Rent, £5 15s 8d; sale of firewood, £2 10s; poles, £5 ss; equipment, £1; wire, £157 15s 9d; refund wages suspense, £ll5 9s 2d; wages unclaimed £ll 16s 6d. These amounts totalled £299 12s Id, and in addition there was a transfer of £3OOO from the power account, so that the loan account stood in debit to the extent of £5820 4s 4d. The Publie Trust Office advised that the board’s application for an advance of £5OOO for the Stratford County extension loan had been considered by the Public Trust Investment Board, which had resolved to grant the amount applied for with interest at 6 per cent, per annum, plus a sinking fund of 1 per cent., for a term of 36J years, provided the usual conditions were observed. It was decided to hold the annual meeting of the board on May 16 next. Mr. L. H. Jardine, the board’s lines foreman, forwarded his resignation, but at the unanimous request of the board he withdrew his resignation to carry on the work of the Stratford extension work.