POWER FOR OPUNAKE

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1933, Page 3

POWER FOR OPUNAKE

REVENUE WELL MAINTAINED. CONSUMERS SHOW AN INCREASE. Revenue well maintained and a slight increase in the number of consumers were features of the reports submitted to the monthly meeting of the Opunake Power Board yesterday. There were present Messrs. G. Goodwin (chairman), J. S. Tosland, R. B. Fleming, E. A. Collins and C. O. Edmunds. The secretary (Mr. J. N.'Stephenson) reported that revenue for JMay , was as follows, the figures for the corresponding period last year being shown in parentheses): Lighting £499 13s 7d (£484 6s Id), stoves £94 13s 6d (£B7 17s), industrial power £9117s 4d (£B6 18s 3d), milking power £96 10s 8d (£56 10s 7d), water heaters £42 17s lid (£4O 15s 9d), street lights £l2 13s 4d (£l2 13s 4d), penalties £l4 4s 3d (£l7 9s 4d), total £852 10s 7d (£786 10s 4d), less rebates £§2 9s 7d, total £770 Is. Cash received on account . of sales of current was £749 5s lid, and arrears amounted to £720 14s 2d. He had forwarded full details in connection with a scheme of loan conversion and had reason to assume that it had been sanctioned although no communication had been received from the Loans Board. Inquiries had been made respecting the minimum charge for fractional horse-power milking motors and as no minimum had been fixed for motors of less than one horsepower he asked whether the board desired an addition to the scale of minimum charges to cover those motors. It was decided that there should be a minimum charge of 17s 6d per month for milking motors of less than 1 h.p. The engineer (Mr. D. Fraser) reported for June that the power-house plant had operated efficiently. The units generated were 134,000, an increase of 12,000 over the output of June, 1932.. The peak load registered was 360 k.w., against 370 for the same period last year. The Diesel engine ran six hours, compared with 66 hours last year. Bulk power was taken from New Plymouth four times. The Diesel engine had been completely overhauled and a new bearing had been fitted to the thrust of No. 2 turbine. The head of water in the lake had been well maintained. '' General maintenance work had been carried out on both the high and low tension lines. Various work had been carried out on the Ihaia, Watino, Patiki, Opunake-Stratford, Arawhata, Te Poka, Eltham, Ruakere and Puniho roads as well as at Pungarehu and Tumahu. New connections were made as follows, the figures for the corresponding period of last year being shown in parentheses: Lighting points 35 (22), heating 6 (7), field pumps 0 (1), additions and alterations 0 (7). For the quarter ending June 30 five new consumers were connected to the supply mains, thus increasing the, connected load by 15 k.w., making, the total number of consumers 1579 and the connected load 2280 k.w. . COMMITTEE MEETING EXPENSES. In reply to a letter from the clerk as to whether the board would be in order in granting members who attend committee meetings an allowance* of 6d per mile both ways to cover cost of travelling, the Auditor-General (Mr. G. C. Campbell) notified that boards were' empowered to pay out of their funds all amounts actually and reasonably expended by the members in attending meetings of the board or any committee thereof, or in transacting business of the board pursuant to a resolution of the board. If members were compelled to use their own motor-cars and were not therefore in a position to claim actual expenses the- Audit Office would not raise any objection to the payment of 6d per mile each way for the use of their own cars, provided that public conveyances were not available or that they were available at only greater cost than 6d jjer mile. Tlie board accordingly decided to make such payments. The Opunake Town Board wrote draw-, ing attention to-the damage being done by the erosion of the Waiau River near South Road and suggested that the board should appointed a committee to confer with representatives of the Towjj. Board, Harbour Board and County Council with a view to taking some remedial action. The chairman said he had recently inspected the scene ofthe erosion and from that inspection was of opinion that the Power Board was not directly concerned " in the matter. It was, however, decided to appoint a committee comprising the chairman, Messrs. Edmonds and Fleming to confer with the representatives of the other bodies and report back to the board. Mr. F. L. Kissell, chief electrical engineer, drew attention to' the danger that might be caused by electrical extensions and repairs being carried out by unskilled and unlicensed persons as emphasised by a recent electrical fatality at Auckland. It was decided to supply each of the consumers with a copy of the circular. . .JU A consumer a few chains outside the present reticulated area again asked to be connected with the supply,. stating that he intended to instal milking, and pumping motors as well as house lighting. ' , The secretary submi ted a scheme whereby the extension ofthe reticulation could be financed, providing the consumer was agreeable. The board approved cf the scheme, which will be submitted to the applicant. Lengthy correspondence from the secretary to the Local Bodies Loans Board regarding conversion ofthe loans was read, but consideration was deferred until a reply is received from the Loans Board.

Details of a street lighting agreement with the Opunake Town Board were considered, and it was decided to pay the cost of the legal expenses in connection therewith.