MISTAKE DISCOVERED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 89, 16 April 1938, Page 13

MISTAKE DISCOVERED

■: WIRING OF ST/aTE HOUSES A LTEKA TIONS N ECESSAR Y •FRONT INSTEAD OF BACK NEW PLYMOUTH, April 8. ' Apparently because the electrical ; contractor was not advised of changed | plans, 12 State houses at New Ply- ; mouth will have to have their electrical wiring changed at the expense of the Slate. Original plans were for power and telephone lines to be on joint poles along the street frontage of Brooklands Road. The Post and Telegraph Department later decided that the poles should be placed behind the houses, but the contractor was not advised and main leads from the. houses were brought out facing the street. The mistake was explained by the borough electrical engineer, Mr W. H. Huggett, when approached by the Daily News last night. The Government originally desired power lines to be behind the houses, he said, but nothing was settled, it being intended to use the telephone line poles for the purpose. A later conference resulted in a decision to place the poles inside the sections, the cost being shared by the Post and Telegraph Department and the electricity department of the Borough Council. No Notification of Change No notification of the change had ever been given, said Mr C. Drury, the electrical contractor, yesterday. Borough representatives had inspected the site some time ago and had decided on the position of the street poles, this determining where the leads were brought out of the houses. This had been done according to contract, and as far as he was concerned the work was finished. Two of the installations had in fact been tested. Rewiring would not be a troublesome job, said Mr Drury, but there would be the danger of damage to the ceilings. Damage would bn unlikely, commented Mr Huggett, and in any case the installation of telephone wires had to be made. The State Housing Department had agreed to pay the cost of the rewiring. Workmen were engaged yesterday placing poles on the properties, ana only the connection of power remains to be done before two houses will be’ ready for occupation. Difficulty in obtaining tiles was responsible for considerable delay in some of the houses, but it is likely that the two nearest the town will be finished before the end of next week. The construction of the sewers Is well under way and the heaviest part of the work has been done. The first

Mock of six houses has been connected and only three weeks should elapse before the whole is completed. The second block of houses is in an unfinished state, while two in the third block are ready for connection with essential services. The subdivision of the whole area is going on and a new 40ft. roadway is being marked.

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