POLES FOR POWER.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15309, 9 August 1923, Page 6

POLES FOR POWER.

FORESTRY DEPARTMENT'S OFFER. At yesterday's meeting of the Thames Valley Power Board, a communication was received from the director of the Forestry Department, stating: "In reply to your letter of the 31st ult. I have to state that if you will let me know the dimensions of the poles you require I will endeavour to get you two each of as many species as possible from those w»|.. have growing. I shall be glad also to assist you in the identification of species in' the event of you wishing to buy poles from a farmer's woodlot. With regard to the use of preservatives I am of opinion that the heart wood of most of the cucalypts is quite durable, but the sap will decay in the period of from It months to two years. We now have some posts under trial with creosote, which we find penetrates satisfactorily into tb>» sap wood of eucalyptus; in fact, the penetration was better than in the ease of the coniferous timber. I would suggest that the sap wood be cut off the poles, to say, two foot above the ground, and that the pole.a treated with creosote two feet above and below. I feel sure that occasional applications of creosote with a brush, at and below the ground level, will have a great effect upon the durability of the poles. Our experiment is, of course, in the initial stage, and nothing definite can yet be judged from it. The creosote we use is New Zealand manufacture, obtained in Wanganui." Mr Gauvain, writing in reply, said: "The sizes of the poles we have in use are 35 feet, 12in to Sin and lOin to 7in; 30 feet, lOin to 7in; 26 feet, Sin to 6in. We shall be glad if you could kindly arrange for two each* of; as many species as possible .fronV your plantation to be forwarded to tt.Sio Board at Te Aroha. .}

It was intimated that probably a load of poles would be received in Te Aroha very shortly from the Forestry Department. The matter was held over for this meeting.