HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15999, 30 May 1924, Page 10

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

THAMES VALLEY BOARD. The following are extracts from atmual reports presented at and adopted by the Thames Valley Electric Power Board at its meeting- on Tuesday : Chairman's Report. The work generally has processed without any serious interruptions and (he original scheme outlined by Messrs Gauvam and Mcleod should be complete by November of this year. \ special feature of the year's work is the splendid spirit ef harmony and co-operation that has been evident, -ilmost without exception throughout the whole staff, which has contributed in no small measure to the efficiency of our service and the excellent results obtained. In the beginning of this year the flat rate lighting charge "was increased by 50 per cent, to consumers of electricity for lighting, to bring the charges more into conformity with those governed by meter. This naturally caused some protest, but in no instance has the charge been sufficiently burdensome to cause a discontinuance of the service. From the beginning of the financial year a reduction in the minimum charge for 2 h.p. motors and a decrease, in the butterfat limit has been in operation. This has enabled a number of owners of small herds to take advantage of our service with mutual benefit to themselves and the Board. The comparatively large number of farmers adjacent to constructed lines who have net linked up. has ied you to decide to- take f'dvantase of one of the last amendments of the Power Board's Act, and levy a rate on all within :10 chains of constructed line. Consumers will be entitled, free of charge, to electricity equal m value to the amount of their rate. This system is more equitable than the older method of staking a rate over the whole area, thus compelling a ratepayer who was unable, through no fault of his own, to take advantage of our service, to contribute to a deficiency created by Ms more fortunale neighbours.

The enquiry of the possible price of purchase of a town reticulation Ins brought you to the decision that the various town areas are vital integral units of the Board's system and must not be disposed of. At your last meeting you decided to reticulate Waihi. This town, while in your Board's area, is not under your jurisdiction as it can operate under its own license. A satisfactory financial arrangement, with the Waihi Borough Council will thus complete the reticulation of the whole of the towns in the Board's area.

The result of the year's trading operations has again demonstrated the wisdom of branching out in this direction. This is evidenced in tire frequent unsolicited approval of the service rendered and in the volume of business, which, in the year under review has amounted to £39,000. The surplus from this department will be held in reserve to make up the certain deficiency in the Power Fund in the current year. You cannot hope to maintain these trading figures in the future, but their decrease will, I feel sure, be compensated for by an increase in the receipts for the sale of current. The receipts under the heading amount to £43,000, which are somewhat in excess of the estimates framed at. the beginning of the year. Had the full amount of 'interest and sinking funds on our total loan been charged against Power Fund, there would have been a deficiency of £16.000. In the current year a total C-f £38,300 fcr interest and sinking fund must be -charged against the Power Fund. With the assistance of a probable small surplus from the Trading Department, and the amount in reserve from the same account, I hav;: no hesitation in assuring you Ihat the current year will be completed without the need for a general rale.

The incoming year will show a more generaj adoption of the use of electrical energy in its varied form of public, and private lighting, heating, cooking, power in the. cowshed and on (lie farm, in the quarry, in the flaxmi'.l, and in the numberless industries of out' boroughs and towns. We, in this district must aim at bringing the service within tile reach of all —making it attractive and indispensable by reason of its cleanliness, simplicity, adaptability and economy.

I wish to record the very helpful and sympathetic attitude of the officers 0 the Public Works Department, which have materially assisted in the varied difficulties of a year's work. 1 also defire to tender my thanks to the staff from the manager down to the youngest member for another year of loyal service. In conclusion, I thank you, gentlemen, for your whole-hearted and generous support of my actions in the past year. Your regular attendance and undivided attention to the Board's business have fully justified the confidence of your ratepayers. The absence of personal feeling at Board meetings coupled with your loyalty and assistance to the chair have made my term of offic? one of pleasure and pride.—F. If. Claxton, chairman. Manager's Report. One of the important matters that concerns the Board is finance, and the ensuing year will be the first year of operations with the total loan moneys borrowed and spent. The amount of interest and sinking fund required to be paid annually fjn loan moneys borrowed to dale is £38,334 13s (id. The total amount of loans sanctioned by the ratepayers to date is £700,000, of which £.150.000 has not yet been arranged for.. a.id the amount of £38,334 13s Gd is interest and sinking fund for the £550,000 loans now being expended. The sales of electricity for the year amounted to £42,391 .17s Bd. My estimate for the year given in May Inst, was £40,000, and the revenue has exceeded this by £2391 17s Bd. The expenditure side of the income and expenditure accounts totals £21,858 5s Sd. Included in this amount is £10.005 12s 9d„ paid to the Public Works Department, for purchase of power and the balance, viz., £5762 12s lid being made up an wages, salaries and creneral Administration expenses. The installation and showroom departments were carried out very satisfactorily for the year. The total nett sales in this department amounted to £38,282 7s Gd and show a satisfactory working profit for the year.

The following figures will give you an indication as to the growth of the Board's revenue since its inception:—Year ended March 31, 1922, £27,057 11« Id; 1923, £59,543 17s 4d; 1924, £82,321 3s 9d.

The expenditure over the sameperiod compares tis follows: —Year ended March 31, 1022, £27,548 17s sd; J 928, £47,755 :15s sd; J 924. £52.587 j4s sd. The figures are exclusive of any interest and sinking fund -payments l/iadc. There are being received continuously, requests for lighting and power in districts already reticulated, and it should ho safe to state that over 1000 motors alone will he installed and working on farms in the area before March 31. 1925. It is proposed to raise a further £4OOO by the rate to be collected from

non-consumers. The total revenue for the year ending March 31, 1925. will then be estimated at £50,000. In the event of a proposition now being considered by large suppliers eventuating-, the estimate of revenue for the year should be £60,000. It will not be necessary to collect any rale other than a non-consumers for this year. Prospects for a very large industrial load hs the Patetonga and Plains districts are very bright. Numerous enquiries for power for flaxmills and quarries have been received, mostly 50 h.p. loads. Connections to the mains were considerably hampered during- the past year owing to the very bad deliveries of transformers, but orders have already been placed for the transformers necessary to arrive before the commencement of next milking season. There are ample stocks in hand for present requirements. I wish to record my apprecial-ioa io the chairman and the Board members for their favours extended to me during the ycor. and also to the staff for their loyalty.—R, Sprague, manager. Engineer's Report. The rcirculation of the Board's area in accordance with (he proposals submitted in our original report, is approaching completion. The majority of extra high, tension lines have been erected and are in operation, and the chief work remaining to be done consists in the completion of th'c •cheaper grade lines. Sufficient information regarding construction costs is now available to indicate that the capital cost or the scheme will amount to a few per cent, less than the estimate. During the past 12 months there has been a- substantial increase in the number of consumers a,nd the results may be considered satisfactory. It is of the utmost importance, however, that all ratepayers should realise the success of the undertaking depends on the measure of support which they are prepared to give the scheme. The cost, of country reticulation per consumer is necessarily high and satisfactory financial results can only be obtained by every household in- a reticulated area taking a supply. With a view to encouraging the farmer with the small herd to install an electric motor for milking machine operation the minimum charge for power for a 2 h.p. motor has been reduced from £2l to £ls per annum. Transmission Linos.—The following figures indicate the mileage of lines constructed and in operation:—ll,ooo volt. 279 miles; 3300 volt, 131 miles: low tension. 331 miles; total, 741 miles. In addition to the above, 95 miles o-f high tension telephone circuit, together with the necessary telephone apparatus and protective gear, has been erected, and 'is in operation. Consumers. —The number of consumers now receiving a supply from the Board is as follows: —Meter rate consumers. 1136; flat rate consumers, 1517; total, 2653. This shows a satisfactory increase of 60.7 per cent as compared with the number of consumers receiving a supply on March 31. 1923. Included in the meter rate consumers are the Boroughs of Thames and Te Aroha which arc counted as one each. The combined consumers in these two towns amount to 1424, so that the actual number of consumers receiving power from the Board is 4075. The following is the present connected load in the area:—Lighting, 1709; heating and cooking, 3212; power, 5544; totai. 10,465 horse power. In adition to the increase in the number of consumers of 60.7 per bent, it is satisfactory to note that revenue derived from the sale of current during the past year, shows an increase of 89 per cent as compared with the revenue for the previous year. The progress now being made in the construction work indicates that the scheme as originally planned should be completed before the end of the year. —Gauvain and McLcod, engineers.