ELECTRIC POWER.

Wairarapa Age, 15 July 1931, Page 2

ELECTRIC POWER.

MEETING OF WAIRARAPA BOARD. •CHARGES FOB MOTORS. The Wairarapa Power Board met at Carterton yesterday, there being present, Messrs. W. Benton (presiding), A. C. Pearce, W. Howard Booth, H. P. Hugo, R. J. King, D. McLachlan, W. A. Tate and T. V. Moore. The manager reported the unusual experience of having to record a decrease in both the gross and the nett revenue for June, as compared with June, 193,0. The gross revenue decreased by £59 15s 5d and the net revenue by £ll7 4s 6d. Increases were shown by domestic light and heat, £26; cooking and heat, £lO3 7s 2d; and de- ' creases by commercial light and heat, £B9 3s Id; and power, £lO3 18s lid. The estimated increase for the year was £4BB Ils 6d, and the actual increase for the first three months was £7lO 12s 4d. It was noticeable that revenue from domestic load still continued to show an increase and that the reduction for the month, was due to the drop in revenue from commercial lighting and power. Installation work continued to be slack. During June, 13 new installations were signed up, and 73 additions to installations, as compared with June, 1930, when the new jobs were 23, and additions 95. For the (first three months of the year new installations totalled 47, compared with 76 for June of last year, and additions 195, as compared with 222. During June the connected load increased by 73 k.w. and included 120 light points, 53' heating points, one cooker, two water heaters, and four motors. Fifteen new consumers were connected to the mains during June, making the total number of consumers 4240, as under: Masterton, 2096; Carterton, 876; Greytown, 329; Featherston, 504; Martinborough, 444. Showroom sales again showed a decrease as compared with June, 1930, but not to the same extent as with) the two previous months. Sundry debtors in the installation account had reduced at the end of May by £528 5s Bd, and the stock in the Masterton store had reduced by £609 13s, The engineer reported that seven service connections were erected in the northern area, four in the central area, and one in the southern area.

During a recent storm, trouble was experienced in keeping power on the Pirinoa—Lake Ferry section. This was due to the southerly wind carrying the salt spray into the insulators. Trouble was also experienced in the 11,000 v. trifurcating boxes for the underground cable at Featherston. To get over the trouble the lines were shut down and the insulators at all earthed positions cleaned, and the earths temporarily disconnected.

The wet weather during the month had considerably delayed the maintenance on the dairy district lines during the off season period. At 8.30 1 p.m. on July 2 water was located coming through the surface of the road approximately four chains on the upstream side of Windy Point. An inspection of the inside pipe line located a fine crack approximately 3ft. long running lengthwise in the 30in. concrete line. A concrete block was formed round the pipe with success. Five further cracks were also discovered and are being attended to.

Accounts amounting to £2719 were passed. The board, in committee, favourably considered a report upon charges for motors used for commercial purposes, submitted by the manager with a view to a reduction in charges, and the matter will come up for final decision at the next meeting.