OPUNAKE POWER BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1930, Page 14

OPUNAKE POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING HELD. BOARDS’ COSTS. COMPARED, Tiie monthly meeting of the Opunake Power Board was held yesterday, Mr. G. Goodwin presiding. There were also present Messrs J. S. Tosland, J. P. Burton, W. C. Green, A. E. Collins and W. L. F. Chambers. The secretary reported that the revenue for June was as follows, the figures for the corresponding month last year being shown in parentheses: — Light, £423 2s 4d (£416 16s 6d); stoves, £7l 14s lOd (£76s 4s sd); industrial power, £66 3s 4d (£64 7s 3d); milking power, £l3 7s 8d (-—); water heaters, £32 15s (£3O 7s 6d); street lights, £l2 13s 4d (£l2 13s 4d); penalties, £ll 16s 4d '(£l2 5s 7d); total, £631 12s lOd (£612 14s 7d). The increase iri revenue for the past three months, together with the daily increasing number of consumers, indicated that the estimated increase in revenue (£965) would be maintained. ■ For the convenience of committees, the secretary proposed to read school meters and render accounts quarterly in future. Committee secretaries found it very inconvenient to pay a few shillings each . month, but a quarterly account would, in most cases, warrant a cheque being issued, and thus greatly facilitate payment of accounts. He had ascertained the opinions of all the committees concerned and the consensus of opinion was favourable to the proposal. In view of recent criticism the following comparison was given, figures relating to the working and administration expenses for the year ended March 31, 1929: Opunake 32.56 per cent, of revenue, Marlborough 23.75, Taranaki 33.21, Teviot 33.09, Hawera County 37.60, New Plymouth borough .'41.12, Central Otago 43.18, Te Awamutu 44.39, Central Hawke’s Bay. 42.23,-Franklin 42,75, Central 46.35, with other boards all higher. The figures showed that the percentage in respect of the board was, with one exception, lower than any other power board in New Zealand. The figures of the last financial year showed the percentage, to be 42 but members were conversant with the causes of the increase. This year’s estimate was 35 per cent, and it would be seen that last year’s figures, although regarded as high, were not so compared with those of other boards. f The engineer, Mr. D. Fraser, reported for July that the units generated totalled 127,900 as against .77,300: units in July, 1929. The maximum demand of 340 k.w. occurred on July 22, the largest daily output being 4500 units. • Both plants had operated efficiently and the stream flow of the .Waiau was sufficient to enable the power house to supply the whole, area. A quarter of a mile of low tension three-phase line had been run. on the Waiteika Road, half a mile on the main road, ’Pungarehu, and eight chains sin-

gle phase on the Watino Road. A start had been made on the Wiremu Road extension. It would be necessary to extend the high tension line to the top of .the Ihaia Road and to erect a transformer to supply the consumers on the Wiremu Road, as the present low tension lines were not constructed to carry the extra load. A high tension line and transformer wouldJjive a much better service. The new single-phase and nine three-phase services had been run and eight of the existing services had been reconstructed. Poles had been taken to the Patiki Road for the extension to Mr. McKeown’s property. Poles were also laid out on the Rahqtu Road for the line to Messrs Chapman Bros.’ farm. One high tension pole and a Kelman switch had been erected on the main line at Puniho near Mr. Cooke’s store. This was a temporary switch to enable Mr. Cooke to switch the bulk supply on or off as required. Earth resistance tests had been taken and forwarded to the Public Works Department. According to the regulations the earth resistance should not exceed 10 ohms and as only 8 out of 203 came within the requirements of the regulations, a lot of work would be entailed in bringing the remainder to the required standard. It was only by experiment that the best and cheapest method could be arrived at and before any experimenting could be done an instrument specially designed for taking earth resistance teste had to be obtained. The price would be £45. Mr. Spry of the Public Works Department had spent two days inspecting the lines throughout the whole area. The following permits had been issued during the month; Lighting points 106, heating 17, stoves 5, water heaters 4, milking motors 11, water pumps 3. New connections had been made as follows: Lighting points 91, heating 18, stoves 4, water heaters 3, milking motors 4. Sixty-three meters had been tested to date and of that number 60 were found to be correct within the 2,} per cent, allowable by the Public Works Department regulations. Three were faulty. Of four.meters tested by request three were found correct and one was 5 per cent. fast. The question of the earth tester was left in the hands of the engineer. Members said that if it gave more safety it was almost a necessity. The . meeting then went into committee to discuss various matters.