KAPONGA TOWN BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1933, Page 2

KAPONGA TOWN BOARD

FINANCE POSITION REVIEWED. ELECTRICAL IMPROVEMENTS. The monthly meeting of the Kaponga Town Board was held on Tuesday evening, when the chairman, Commissioner A. R. Bates, presided. The following commissioners were present: Messrs. E. L. Abbott, J. P. Gibson, W. G. Cran, R. A. Law, H. J. Mills and W. Marr. Accounts passed for payment totalled £632, of which sum approximately £35 had been refunded by the Unemploymen Board for wages paid to relief workers. The electricity department absorbed £76, main highways £36, interest and sinking funds £371 and Domain Board £66 (mainly for new park gates). The Unemployment Board wrote regarding the subsidising of relief workers on the eradication of ragwort on farm lands. The clerk outlined the proposals for operating the system locally, which provided for the work to be spread over the various eligible workers as far as possible. An application was received from the secretary of the Mangatoki Dairy Company for permission to increase the size of water pipes at the company’s Kaponga branch. Approval was given subject to the usual conditions. Three applications for permission to hold street stalls were approved. A statement presented in connection with the new park gates and improvement work at Victoria Park showed the total cost of the work to be £B2. The electrical engineer (Mr. A. W. Anderson) reported that both power houses ran without fault during the period. A total of 49,580 units was generated in No. 2 power house, compared with 49,510 during the similar month last year, and a bulk power purchase of 2540 units plus 52 k.v.a. was made at a cost of £2O 13s Id, this figure exceeding last year's figure by £4 10s. The total number of units distributed exceeded last year’s figure by 1000. Minor troubles only were experienced with the lines but ope interruption occurring on the western feeder . was worthy of note. A fault occurred on the Upper Mapgawhero Rroad on the morning of the 15th, causing the automatic switch to disconnect the circuit, and the obscure nature of the fault rendered location difficult. It was eventually located by sectionising the circuit, and the service was restored in sections, the fault repaired, and the final section put into service at 7.30 am.

During the month two milking service

lines were reconstructed to accommodate new sites for the milking sheds, one water-pumping service line was constructed, and a new house replacing a house destroyed by fire was connected to the system. Line improvements were carried out on the Upper Manaia Rosd, trees were cut back from the lines in the western end of the area and several consumers' service lines received attention, A single-phase a.c. line was run from th? town hall to the centre of the town area and one consumer connected thereto. The engineer presented a report setting out proposals for improving the electrical service lines on upper Auroa Road, and the board resolved to put the work in hand as soon as the necessary gear could be obtained. The question of improving the upper Auroa Road service has been exercising the mind of the board for gome time but lack of finance has pre-

viously precluded anything being undertaken, The slightly improved state of the board's finances has now made the authorisation of the work possible, board members expressing satisfaction at being able to improve the service, The foreman (Mr. A, Melville) reported that in addition to work at Victoria Park he had finished the tar-patching of all main roads. He had also carried out resurfacing work on the tennis courts. The county engineer had advised that the patching of the side of the roads should be proceeded with in readiness for the resurfacing which was shortly to be undertaken. -It was therefore proposed to put this work in hand as soon as material was received. The Eltham county engineer reported that the resurfacing of the main highways at Kaponga would be commenced next month.

The financial report for the six months ended on September 30 showed receipts to be (1932 figures shown in brackets) £3449 (£3456) and expenditure £3343 (£3650), which represented a slight decrease in receipts and a decrease of £307 in expenditure. The electricity de-' partment showed receipts to be practically the same as last year, while the expenditure was £l5O less than during the same period last year. The general account also showed a substantial decrease in expenditure, the sum being £lBO less than in the previous half year.