ELECTRICAL AFFAIRS

Waipa Post, Volume 34, Issue 2033, 16 July 1927, Page 5

ELECTRICAL AFFAIRS

TE AWAMUTU POWER BOARD. MONTHLY MEETING YESTERDAY. The usual monthly meeting of the Te Awamutu Electric Power Board was held at the Board's office on Friday, there being present Messrs J. T., Sjibhnson (chairman), G. Spinley, J. C. MsTtefi.ore.pA'. L.- Storey, N. M. LethB. Teasdale, S. C. Macky, and jTG. Sutherland. The secretary-manager, Mr D. McArthur, was in attendance. The manager presented a list of *"• consumers whose accounts are overdue, and he explained the position in respect to each of them. —The manager was instructed to take Court proceedings where necessary. The manager, Bank of New Zealand, advised having cabled to the Sydney office, authorising them to pay £2138 17s 7d to the A.M.P. Society in exchange for debentures.of a similar amount.

The Auckland irianager, Millars' West Australian Hardwoods Co., Ltd., wrote regretting delay in arrival of tallowwood for crossarms and platforms, adding: "The causes of delay were beyond our control. The recent cyclones in N.S.W. destroyed the railway line between our mill and the shipping port. Your timber and several; other orders are all cut but cannot; be got down to port until the railway has been restored." The electrical engineer, N.Z.D.C., advised that the Te Kawa factory is being dismantled immediately. The motor on the water pump drive is to remain in service but the drainage pump and line is being, removed and the factory lighting is to be dismantled.

The solicitors for the John Allen Estate asked the Board to share the cost of a 6ft. corrugated iron fence between the Board's property and that of their client's in Te Awamutu. —It was decided to offer £5 towards the cost.

The manager, Thames Valley Power Board, forwarded copy of a letter sent to the Minister for Public Works re the supply of power until Arapuni plant is operating, as follows: —"At a meeting of my Board, on July sth, the matter of supply of electricity to carry over untii Arapuni is operating, was fully discussed. I am directed to advise that arising out of the Hamilton conference on June 9th this Board regrets that it has not received any official notification of the decision arrived at by the P.W.D. for the making of the necessary provision to cope with the power demand until Arapuni is supplying, and that this Board cannot consider taking additional supply at any increase on the rates at present operating." The chairman said this was a matter affecting all the power boards. The whole position had been considered at the conference in Hamilton. The 'opinion generally expressed was that the.P.W.D. should bear any extra cost to provide the facility. The Department wanted the boards to shoulder most of the cost. He thought that the Thames Valley Board's attitude would be supported by all the others, and he suggested a motion on similar lines. The Department claimed that it had V fulfilled all obligations to supply. This was not denied, but he would point out that the Department had assumed the monopoly of providing hydro-electric power, and therefore it should be solely responsible for supplying needed equipment for generating extra power necessary for normal development. The meeting approved a motion on similar; lines to that of Thames Valley, the chairman and manager to draft the letter. The chairman commented that it .was recently announced through the press that the Department was proceeding with its development scheme, and that it had actually ordered the extra necessary machinery. That information had been conveyed to the Auckland Power Board, but/ so far as he knew,, no information had been supplied to the country power boai'ds. To-Mr Spinley, the chairman said he understood that Auckland was paying for its 2000 horse-power from Hora Hora at the same rate as the country boards, but when Arapuni was supplying Auckland would secure its power at a cheaper rate. Mr Lethbridge agreed, that the Te Awamutu Board was justified in opposing the imposition of the extra charges. Mr Spinley said the earlier boards had paid interest on capital charges when the boards were not operating at a profit. Therefore it was unfair now, when good profits were being made at Hora Hora, to impose extra charges. The Department should pay for the extra equipment necessary out of its earlier profits obtained from the country boards. An Australian trade publication wrote asking for particulars of the considerable benefits derived from the installation of static condensers. Tho particulars were sought for publication.—Referred to the manager for attention. The assistant commissioner of stamp duties wrote asking for a copy of the fgjffpiof application by intending cusTramers for the supply of electric power, in order that it might be ascertained whether, when executed, it was liable to stamp duty as an agreement. • The manager stated that this question was to come before the power boards' conference shortly . It was an innovation. The manager, New Zealand Insurance Company, wrote re Messrs Houston Bros.' claim of £2O, the value of a cow electrocuted: "I am. now in receipt of Mr Richmond's opinion on the casei and as it will doubtless be of some value to you I have pleasure in forwarding a copy. It appears from this that your Board would, in MiRichmond's opinion, be held responsible for such a happening, and it is some satisfaction to have the position so clearly stated. Your Board will, I am sure, devise and carry out some method to safeguard itself as far as possible, against similar happenings. Herewith I enclose a cheque for £2O,

being the amount in full of Houston Bros.' claim. Will you be good enough to get the attached voucher signed and return it to us?"

The opinion was a very full and comprehensive one, and it was filed for reference.

Mr Macky inquired the position in the event of an accident to stock or humans through the poles not being protected by barbed wire. The manager remarked that some settlers had welcomed this provision, but one had strenuously opposed it, saying the barbed wire might damage his stock if they rubbed against the poles. The chairman 1 ' said the Board would wire poles where landowners consented; if owners withheld permission to put up wire guards they would hardly succeed in a claim for any damage resulting. The manager, South Canterbury Power Board, wrote giving particulars of cooking range charges in twenty power board districts. He had tabulated the information obtained, and supplied a copy of his report to his Board.

The manager stated that the figures showed Te Awamutu as very favourably situated, for he computed there were only four of the twenty boards making a lower charge. The financial statement showed the power fund account in debit £444!) 0s sd, and the loan account likewise in debit to the extent of-£1598 15s 3d. Accounts presented were £1693 16s 2d. The consumers' finance account showed a credit balance of £1224 12s Hd. The revenue for the month of May was shown as: Lighting, heating, and meter rents, £1065 18s .fid; power, £725 15s lOd; penalties and sundries, £35 7s 4d- approximate street lihgting, £26; making a total for the month of £1863 Is Bd. For May, 1926, the revenue was £9lO. . The manager explained that of the £IBOO nearly £7OO was an estimate ot country consumption unread up to 31st March. Meters in the country district were read at approximately three-monthly periods. He computfii the normal increase at £124 per month as compared with last year. For comparative purposes the bald figures were misleading, hence his explanation. ' . HAO „ ~ The chairman said that in 1920 tlio meters in the whole of the district were read. The whole of the meters had been read- right up to 31st March. The April 'and May -figures for 1926 showed a relative increase, of £IOO per month ove/ those months in the previous year; so that the monthly increase this year was appreciably better than a year ago. The manager said that though there had been an increase in consumption of power, as compared with last year, the payment to the Public Works Department for bulk supply was £SB less for the last quarter than for the same quarter of a year ago. The chairman moved that, pursuant to section 55 of the Power Boards Act, the Board strike a general rate on the same basis as a year ago, namely, oneseventh of a penny in the pound. He explained that the Act enabled power boards to call upon the local bodies to collect their rate, but Te Awainutu Board followed the alternative of collecting its own rate. The rate would be payable at the Board's office. Mr Lethbridge seconded.—Carried. Mr Lethbridge asked leave to withdraw his notice of motion, given last month re exemption from rates on sections that could not be supplied with power.—Granted. Another notice of motion by the chairman to rescind the resolution fixing the number of members of the Board came forward. . Speaking to the motion, the chairman said he felt there was little or no need for a full complement of ten members. Cambridge and Central had only eight members. Some others had only seven. In the initial stages of the Board it was desirable to have more members, directly representative ot each district in the area; but the principal construction work was now done. He provided for the following proportionate representation: Waipa County, five members; Te Awamutu borough, two; and Otorohanga county, one member. The motion would be a recommendation to the Minister. Mr Montefiore suggested fixing the total at five, which would be suffici-. ent. . , •' Mr. Macky said he would not object to a total of five. The chairman said that in that case.,, Te Awamutu borough would be entitled to only one member. Mr Montefiore said that would l-e sufficient.

Mr Sutherland thought eight was preferable, as in the case of a member being unavoidably absent the work of the Board would not be hampered. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. It was decided to impose the ten per cent penalty on all overdue rates at 31st August. The agreement in respect to the borrowing of £6OOO from the A.M.P. Society, as authorised by the ratepayers, was approved. # Mr Teasdale expressed the opinion that some regular day per month should be decided upon for payment of accounts for current. He suggested that it would be more satisfactory to consumers ifjhe definite date were notified. He thought that borough consumers could pay by, say, the 20th, Otorohanga county by the 18th, and Waipa county by the 15th. He did not know whether the scheme was feasible.

The manager, said the present system was most practicable. Consumers were given a fortnight's grace after their meters were read. If Mr Teasdale's suggestion were adopted the meter reader might not make his inspection in some cases until two or three days before the date decided upon for payment. Further, on some sale days in summer time the Board had received up to £SOO or £6OO in the one day. This would indicate that there would be congestion on the final day. On Mr Spinley's suggestion the executive was asked to report to next meeting. Another matter referred to the executive for a report had to do with the question of collecting a rate upon properties where the Board was unable to supply power. The chairman said this had to do

with Mr Lethbridge's notice of motion last month (and withdrawn at this month's meeting). Mr Lethbridge's motion was impracticable in the form tabled, but there was admittedly room for alteration; hence his motion to ask the executive.for a report. Mr Sutherland said the time was coming, probably in two years, when no rate would be collected. That was what he was hoping for. The Board was making progress steadily, and the time would not be long delayed when no rate would be collected. A long list of remits to the annual conference of delegates of power boards in Wellington next month was referred to the chairman and the secretary, who will attend the conference.