ASHBURTON NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20543, 19 February 1935, Page 8

ASHBURTON NEWS.

Report on Power Board’s Work. (Special to the “ Star.**) ASHBURTON, February 18. The Ashburton Power Board met to-day. Present: Messrs E. F. Nicoll (chairman), W. H. Woods, J. Carr, W. G. Gallagher, J. Lambie, R. J. Mulligan, W. Bryant, H. Morris, 11. C. Barton, H. J. Crothers, W. H. Rundle and J. W. M. Dart.. The engineer (Mr H. G. Kemp) reported that 118 defective bluegum poles had been replaced during the month. Mitcham Road line and Price’s and M’Keague’s at Lowcliffe were

changed over on to new poles, while two poles were erected for a new service at Tinwald and eleven poles were erected at Mr Ruddenklau’s for tractor reticulation. Four piles had been driven into the South Ashburton River on the Mayfield line crossing to carry two poles, this making the crossing secure from floods and enabling a telephone line to be carried across. A total of twenty-seven poles was brought down by a nor’-west wind storm from January 26 to January 28 The running engineer (Mr Saunders) reported that during the height of this gale power had been cut off as a precautionary measure, and that, owing to one of the main Coleridge line poles being blown down, power had been cut off everywhere from 4.32 to 5.9 pm. on January 26.

In reply to a question from Mr Barton as to the charge for maintenance of poles on private land, the engineer stated that lines erected to the main point of supply (that is, the consumer's hovse) were looked after by the board, but any extensions past that, to sheds or yards, were the responsibility of the consumer. There was nothing to prevent a consumer placing a buttressing post against one of the extension poles if these poles were defective. Building Society. Nominations closed to-day for two seats on the board of directors of the Ashburton Permanent Building and Investment Society. The nominees are Mr R. A. Collins and Colonel J. Findlav, the retiring directors, and Dr G. I. Miller.