S.C. POWER BOARD

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 7 February 1923, Page 1

S.C. POWER BOARD

THE SECOND MEETING. A meeting of the South Canterbury Power Board was held yesterday j present: Messrs T. L. Hart, (chairman), G. J. Wallace, J. Anstey, E. Macdonald, G. Saunders, C. E. ; Kerr, J. Kennedy, J. R. Bruce, <l. South, and W. Mills. The chairman stated that the first business to come before the meeting was the report of the special committee set up at the first meeting. Mr Anstey would read the minutes of the Committee’s meeting. The committee’s report read (inter alia) as follows: — With regard to the appointment of a temporary secretary, the chairman was instructed to interview Mr W. D. Revell. Subsequently the chairman ascertained' that Mr Revell would undertake the work and provide hiS Own office at a salary of £2 a week. If the volume of the work increased the question of salary would have to be reconsidered. The committee reeommneded that Mr Revell should be appointed. Mr J. R. Templin who was engaged in several big electrical schemes, had a two-hour interview with the members of the committee. The cost of preparing a report on the reticulation had been submitted. The report and plan would become the property of the Bqard on payment of the sum mentioned. A wire had been received from Mr Lancaster, of the firm of Hay, Vickeran and Lancaster, stating that he would arrive in Timaru that day, and would be prepared to quote for various services. The committee recommended that the Board hear Mr Lancaster.

The chairman stated that .Mr Templin had carried out a good deal of reticulation work in New Zealand and the Committee had thought it advisable to interview him. He gave a long report' regarding (the Wanganui and Hutt reticulation areas. He stated that the Wanganui district was more similar from a reticulation viewpoint to South Canterbury than any other he knew of, except for the fact that South Canterbury would be much easier to reticulate owing to the more level nature of the country. Mr Templin had given the amount of power that would be required for Wanganui, the amount of reticulation, the maintenance and running expenses, and also the revenue that might be expected He hafi not proposed the reticulation of any part of the district that would not be payable. Mr Templin had had the responsibility of replying to the criticisms of both the Wanganui and Hutt schemes. He recognised that just at present the Board was not prepared to go into the matter fully. If the Board gave Mr Templin the work of reticulation later on, the fee would come out of his commission. Mr Garvice, an employee of the Government, who had had a good deal of experience with both the Mangahao and Coleridge schemes, had given a lot of information about hydro-electricity generally. He pointed out clearly that the Board should first ascertain what load it, would have to provide for.

It was decided that Mr Revell should be employed as temporary secretary. The chairman stated that the arrangement with Mr Revell was a perfectly satisfactory one to the Board.

In regard to the best means of ascertaining what load the Board would have to provide for, Mr Lancaster (who attended) gave prices for various services.

It was explained that the load could be ascertained by two methods —the flying survey and. the detailed survey. The latter meant a close canvass of the district, and would show on the plan the detailed area maps, showing the houses. It would •cost £2OOO more than the rough survey. The Board had before it a definite quotation from Mr Templin for a rough survey, and Mr Lancaster gave an idea • of what his firm would charge. The question arose as to whether the rough estimate would meet the Board’s requirements. The Chairman said that Mr Templin had carried out several other

schemes on the rough survey, and reports from the Boards concerned were to the effect that his estimates were Very satisfactory. Mr Kerr was of opinoin that the Board should go further than the rough survey, and should get definite information, which they could put before the ratepayers. On resuming after lunch the Board decided to employ an engineer to make a rough survey of the reticulation area, and draw up plans, etc. Messrs Hay, Viekerman and Lancaster were willing to do the work for £250, and Mr Templin had submitted the same figure. Mi- Macdonald moved, and Mr South seconded, that Mr Templin be appointed.

Mr Eerr moved as an amendment Unfit Messrs Hay, Viekerman and Lancaster should be appointed. The amendment was seconded by Mr Bruce, but on being put to the meeting was defeated by seven to three, those voting for it being Messrs Kerr, Bruce and Mills. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs Hart, Wallace and Anstey was set up to draft an agreement with Mr Templin in connection with his undertaking.

The chairman stated that after the last meeting he had met Mr H. V. Schreiber, the American expert retained by the Christchurch City Council to report on the Waimakariri scheme. He had suggested that Mr Schrieber might like to give a report on the Board’s scheme. It was arranged that he should d® this, and on arrival in Timaru he was taken to Lake Tekapo. A letter had since been received from him giving information about thp scheme, and stating that he had cabled to his principals in Washington as to what a report, designs and estimates would cost. In the course of his letter Mr Schrieber stated that his inspection suggested that it might be possible to develop from 50 up to 70 feet of head. How best to utilise the various useful features of the site would require careful study, complete surveys, etc. For the office studies the surveys must be in considerable detail, and cover a large area in addition to the immediate site. Local constructive material should be investigated and tested to insure their suitability for the work. Foundation conditions seemed to be reasonably sure, judging from the surface conditions, but sub-surface tests would have to be made to prove this, and many other points were mentioned which would have to be investigated.