BOROUGH ELECTRICAL UNDERTAKING.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 21 March 1927, Page 10

BOROUGH ELECTRICAL UNDERTAKING.

To the Editor of the ‘Timaru Herald.’ Sir. —I have read "with interest, :he report and discussion cp Mr Holland’s report on Timaru’s electrical undertaking, and am convinced that the Mayor and Councillors Hay and . Satterthwaite are only happy when attacking me, and are even more de"lighted during my absence to vent their views. Now, sir, I have been very silent during many years as far S as going into print is concerned, as I felt sure that to treat such men with contempt was the more satisfactory, but I must, on this occaeion, state my version of what has been done, and, why it has been done, during the past six years. I joined the Council’s staff in 1920, shortly after the famous breakdown, and when I took charge Messrs Wallace and Cooper and Parr and Company were in charge of the Power House. One of the first things I had to do was pass the accounts for these firms’ work, and it was the checking of these accounts, especially Wallace and Cooper's, that caused a disagreement between Mr Wallace and myself, and I heard, and other people heard, that Mr Wallace was going to cause trouble for me. He went on the Council, and did cause trouble, not only for me, but others. When seeking votes for the Mayoral chair against the Rev. Mr Potts, Mr Wallace denied this accusation. Says your report of one of the meetings: “In the private installation department, Mr Wallace said he was prepared to admit he had made a mistake, and granted that very soon this department would be on a very sound basis. The accusation against him that he had embarrassed the electrical engineer' in the performance of good work, he distinctly denied. He differed with the engineer on a certain question and the matter was brought before the Council. That was about nine months ago, and the incident was past and done with.’’

This is over three years ago, but not past and done with. In fact the public of Timaru are not blind. However, I wish to. deal with the report of Mr Holland, but it was very necessary to state why. I wish to deal with it as there are two sides to every argument. I will take the clauses seriatum, and be as brief as possible. Clause I.—Grant’s Hill substation was designed by the Public Works Department, and I carried out their design; furthermore, this substation will carry this winter’s load and next winter’s load, too, as the transformers will safely carry 1250 k.v.a. for two hours in winter, and it is the winter peak that is expected. I am

afraid Mr Holland’s bogey should be investigated. I am positive the Government would not honestly say it was necessary to put in a 2000 k.v.a. sub-station yet. It would not be studying economy, which is one of the fundamental principles of good engineering. Clause 2—Feeder lines. This main line is. practically the only straight new work designed and erected by me. All the other work in the borough had to be very gradually altered to suit the ever increasing and altered demand for current, and will always be necessary if economy is to be studied. Why on new work, similar to the neighbouring Power Board, alterations will have to be made. It is only incompetents who build a set of lines to last for years, as time will tell. So the new line will actually pass muster by Mr Hollands. Further, when the likes were inspected in 1923 (of which no mention is made) the following was stated by the Public Works Department: “The work as now being carried out is good, and your electrical engineer is to be complimented on the way he is carrying out a difficult proposition.” I might here state that any ordinary electrical engineer • can carry out the reticulation of a borough if it is all new work, as the Public Works Department supply all the necessary plans for standard work, and lay down the regulations. All one has to do is to see that they are. carried out. That is; what Mr Hollands did in Palmerston North, and the scheme cost £120,000, and not any larger, if so large, as Timaru. Clause 3. Sub-stations. —This should be connected load, and as j stated, will be over 4000 k.v.a. make, but it the engineer knows his job thoroughly he' can be arrangement with the consumer to shift his load so that a 6000 k.v.a. connected load will not be 1000 k.v.a. peak load. I did it. Regarding the pole substations being too light, this is not so, for their requirements any of the platforms will for five or six years hence, with ease support safely a 150 k.v.a. or 200 k.v.a. transformer and switch gear. I will agree that some were not complete, for the simple reason that the transformers were being moved round to suit the altering load, and it was economical to do this as within twelve months the load in a particular area .would steady down, and not grow so fast. Why nowhere is a substation put in for years to come. Transformers are cheaper to replace than put in too large a set, and pay the losses on same for years, and they have losses. Clause 4 —Distribution. This is as it is, for the same reason as stated a b ove —altered load conditions until the load steadies up, that is to say, people are continually buying appliances and ranges and coming on to the supply. Very soon we. should be able to arrange the supply to meet

this contingency. A lot of old construction -was utilised as an economical necessity, and it is quite safe, useful, and efficient, as it has proved during the past three years, and was good for another two, which is the time Mr Hollands says it will take to bring it up to date. Regarding the low tension distribution, Mr Hollands says it is poor. I agree that it is poor, but not rotten, to say the least, as it was when I took charge. The public of Timaru can remember what it was. At least it is better; as it is now it is only poor because a lot of old lines have been left up to serve as long as economically possible. Regarding the spans between the poles, I can honestly say I have never allowed a span to be over approximately two chains on low tension construction, though in Otipua Road, where the tram line is, the spans are too long, but they were there before I came to Timaru, and owing to the tram line I left them as it is very probable had I shortened up the spans, the whole work would have had to be done over again. Further, Mr Holland says the Government regulations only allow 13,2 feet. Well, when I was in New Zealand, and when all the work was done, spans were not to exceed 165 feet (see Clause 35 Public Works Department Amendment Act, 12th October, 1922) — the Act and the regulations I had to work under, and I do not know if new regulations are in force. I may say, that in other parts of the Borough, over 70 0 spans were shortened up by 7ue. So please try and be a little bit fair. If they are there , I did not do it., and the reason they . were not altered is a good reason,

Clause s.—Street lighting. _ Tho street lighting of Timaru is very fair, and much better than many boroughs, and worse than very feh. Still, it can be improved, and 1 reported on this matter about March or April last, but the Mayor (then chairman of the Electric Light Committee) shelved tho report, like many other reports he ignored. In the discussion, the Mayor said lie regretted to state that many of tho reports from the electrical engineer wero not correct. I claim to ho an electrical engineer, duly qualified and certificated, by examination. I hold three certificates obtained by examination. Mr Wallace is not an engineer, ancl has Mr Holland, who is now advising the Council, many certificates obtained by examination. I regret to have to mention this, but in the past delivered the goods, and was endorsed by two fully qualified engineers, beforo I started; also, my work was complimented on when half done, ' Clauso 6. Services.—This matter is ono of detail, and I have had a. deal of trouble over same myself, but tho services have been multiplied in my time, in fact, the whole of the complaints referred to ono of long-stand-ing, and the reason they have been left is owing to proposed building altera-

tions being hung up, or the old D.C. services m the main street were about to bo re-changed over. 1 must here jnemr.on that tne work of the. change over the whole Borough was only started just over three years ago, and to maintain the supply and cater for tho increased demand, and do the job economically was more than the advisory Mayor could event dream of.

Clause 7. General.—This deals mostly With Public Works Department complaints, and these complaints will coma m every year, in spite of any engineer, and 1 admit they are in some cases irregular. I wonder if tho >South Canterbury Power Board, with a, very excellent staff, and one of the most experienced consulting engineers controlling all new work, had any complaints. Methinks there were over a score by the inspector for tho Public .Works Department, and is the Power Board in a frenzy over it. No, certainly not, but if Mr Wallace had a set on the engineer 1 Clause 8. Consumers’ Installations. — This is a. matted for the inspector, and I was quite satisfied lie was doing his job, though slowly, but thoroughly.

Clauso 9. —Mr Hollands wants a definite policy front tho retiring Council, as to how much he is to spend to bring tho whole installation up-to-date within two years. Well, 1 wanted two more years to feel I had finished a difficult job I had, started. In conclusion, I would like to state that I came to a wreck, electrically, mechanically an<s financially, and I left it in fair order, considering what it cost, in good order, electrically and mechanically. When I took charge, the Department was in debt over £6OOO. and I left it with nearly £IO,OOO in hand; and the quality of tho light all over tho Borough was good, and 40 per cent less per unit than when I took over. In spite of Messrs Wallace, Hay, Satterthwaite* ancl Company’s remarks and cheap advice, I am quite satisfied with my efforts, and I think the ratepayers of Timaru have had good ser-vice.-—I am etc., G. W. WILSON. Late Borough Electrical Engineer.