WAIRARAPA POWER BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 49, Issue 14960, 11 July 1923, Page 6

WAIRARAPA POWER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. (Special to “Daily Times.") The monthly meeting of the AVairarapa Electric Power Board was held at Carterton on Tuesday, there being pre-sent:—-Messrs J. C. Cooper (chairman), W \ lorns, W. Howard Booth, W. Benton. AV. A. Hutton, J. AY. Kershaw, T. Y. Moore, R. J. King and D. Me* Lachlan. ” FINANCE. The treasurer’s statement was as follows: —Receipts:—Balance at -9th hlav. 1923, £7332 6s 10d: A.M.L’. loan bond. £25,000; local debentures, iloOO; installation deposits, £S4S 2s lOd; contractors’ deposits, £127 10s; sundry revenue. £27 5s Od; total, £.>4,5.>5 5s 2d. . „, Expenditure.—Stores, £1316 <s Od; salaries and wages, £2065 19s Sd; general charges, £177 4s sd; contractors and sundries, £3056 Is Sd; total. £27.9]9 11s lid. Credit balances. —Wellington £14.206 9s 7d: Carterton, £13,741 17s Sd. Adopted. CORRESPONDENCE.

The Manawatu Power Board wrote suggesting that the members from the various districts in Parliament should interview the Minister of Public AAorks in reference to the power allocation of jNTft nfiTfiluiOj which they considcicu would be better than a further confercnee.

The South British Insurance Company wrote in reply to a question concerning the covering of tunnelling contractors. —Received. The Power Board Association wrote ealliim the annual conference for AVcllimrton on July 24th. The chairman reported having attended the meeting of the executive, at which the rules governing the constitution of the Asand had taken as their guidance the constitution of the Municipal Association. —The chairman and secretary were appointed to represent the AVairarapa Board at the conference. The Masterton Borough Council wrote accepting the Board's tender for the lighting of the streets for a period of five rears. The contract provides for the lamps to be lit 1650 hours per annum. irrespective of conditions. AIARTINBOROUGH PLANT.

The engineer's report on the basis of dealing with the Martinborough Town Board" for the purchase of their electric ida nt was tahen in committee. It' was decided that the matter of purchasing the Martinborough plant be deferred until next meeting, to enable further information to be obtained.

TURBINE. The AYellington agents reported having been advised that the turbine had been shipped by the Paparoa, but no advice had been received that the ship had left. —lt was decided to ask the agents for something more definite. GENERAL. Jt was decided that the contractors for the special pipes be notified that they will be held liable for any loss sustained through the delay in the delivery of tne pipes. In regard to the application of Mr Jude, tunnelling contractor, for compensation for some work that had fallen in, it was decided that the Board could not recognise any liability, as the work had not been timbered in accordance with the conditions of the eontract.

It was reported that 910 consumers had been estimated for, and 342 of that number had accepted. They were as follows: —Carterton .179, '"asterton 86, Featherston 73, Greytown 3 Martiuborough 1. The accepted consumers totalled 584 k.w.. and the total estimated for was 1331 k.w, H. R. Climie. engineer, applied for permission to act as consulting engineer to the Taranaki Electric Power Board, “ who propose to develop a source of hy-dro-electric power that I located prior to my joining your board. The Taranaki Board were prepared to entrust our firm not only with the initial development of 2000 h.p., but also with all future extensions up to 25,000 h.p.” In view of these special circumstances the engineer trusted that the Board would favourably consider the application. Should his occasional absence from this district interfere with his services to the Board, he was agreeable to such readjustment of his salary as the board may consider right. Air Climie stated that the field work was being done by his father and brother, and his (Air Climie) advice was only required electrically. . His absence would be a week at a time.—-Tt was decided to grant the application in terms of the letter. It was decided that the secretary and the engineer rearrange the organisation of the staff. The engineer reported:— Kourarau. —In spite of the very broken weather during the past inontji fair progress has been made. The 30inch concrete pipes have been jointed as far as the second tunnel, and alto gether about, half this pipe line has been laid. The pipe line througa the site of the ram has been completed and concreted in. Excavation work on the site of the dam has been continued, but in view of the unsettled weather it is considered advisable to delay the construction of the embankment until it can be done with the minimum of risk. This will not involve a delay in supplying current to consumers. The contractor, Air AicCalmont, has carried up tli e concrete some 24 feet in the outlet scour tank. Air Jude, the tunnelling contractor, has completed his first contract, and a statement regarding the

extra work done by him, due to slips, is attached hereto. The final payment on this contract is due on the 16th inst. The same contractor has still some 60 feet to drive the Windy Point tunnel. In it he encountered a ridge of “papa” rock. The foundations and floor of the power house have been placed,' and a start made on the concrete walls. The stream below the power house has been straightened, but not deepened sufficiently yet to ensure safety from floods at the power-house. Turbines. —The contractors for this plant have informed us that the turbines were shipped only ‘on the sth inst. on the s.s. Paparoa. This date is a month later than their last estimate, and involves further delay in the completion of the scheme. Provided this boat is not. held up by the dockers’ strike, a supply to consumers in Masterton and Carterton should be given in November. The switch gear for the power house has been landed, and it is anticipated that the generator will now arrive in ample time. Pole Supplies, etc. —The promised shipment of 1000 poles did not materialise, but a consignment of 552 has recently been delivered. This number lias not satisfied the requirements of existing contracts, much less permitted tenders to be called for others. This contract, owing to the delay in receiving the Government license, was not entered into till October 12th last, and though the contract time expired two months ago, only 60 per cent of the contract quantity has been delivered. The contractors, in view of alleged de-

lay due to the seamen’s strike, ask for an extension of time. The contiactoi for the supplv of cross-arm' timbei, although the contract time expired three -months ago. has delivered only onethird of the order. The shortage is now being felt, and tenders have been called for other supplies. Electric. Lines. —Mr Jackson has completed his first contract, and his final payment for which is due to the 16th inst. ’ Messrs Curtis, Lawson and Dickev have made good progress with their 'contract in Masterton, more than half of the poles now being erected. As soon .as more poles are in sight, tenders will be called for the reticulation of Carterton. Tenders closing at noon todav have been invited for the erection of the conductors on the transmission line from Kourarau to Carterton. Electrical Equipment. —Large quantities of motors, transform, and other electrical equipment, have come to hand according to schedule, and await testing and drying out. It has been neecssarv to order a small A.C. generator from Australia for testing purposes, until the main supply from Kouraraua is available. It is proposed to install this o-en era tor in the Masterton store and drive it with a gas or oil engine. Tenders. —Tenders, received several months ago, for 11.900 volt switchboard. to control the Board’s various feeders and to couple up with the Government supply, have been carefully analvsed. It is recommended that the lowest tender, that of Messrs A. Riley and Co., for a seven-panel truck type board and metering equipment, Joe accepted for and at the sum of £l7B;>. House Wiring. —Tenders, closing _ at noon to-day, are invited for the wiring of a group' of houses in Masterton. Besides having eight wiring contractors at work, the Board have at present employed ten licensed wiremcn, and hope to add to this number this month. The attached schedules show the amount of work on hand and estimated on the various centres.

Street Lighting. —Tenders will be invited without unnecessary delay for special street lighting equipment.