POWER BOARD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 267, 9 October 1933, Page 8

POWER BOARD

AIONTHLY MEETING- HELD.; . The monthly meeting of the Alana-watu-Oroua Power Board was held this afternoon, Air C. G. C. Dermer presiding.'Others present were Alessrs J. A. Nash, M.P., AI. A. Eliott, J. Hodgens, J. Batchelar, 0. AlcElroy, J. Boyce, W. AlcKay, N. Campbell. W. P. Bickers, E. O. Bond and P. G. Guy. The report made by the chief engineer (Air W. A. Waters) was adopted, and a request from the Rongotea Town Board that four of the street lamps at Rongotea be disconnected was referred to him for an investigation. Replying tq a recent protest made by the board concerning the account submitted to it for payment, the Feilding Borough Council advised that the cost of the election had been £9O and the board’s cost had been £l9 £>s sd.—lt was decided to pay the amount. Reporting on the recent conference of the New Zealand Power Boards’ and Supply Authorities’ Association, the chairman, who. was one of the board’s delegates, commented that Air Hodgens had informed the City Council that there, was a distinct cleavage between the smaller and the larger power boards. Personally, the speaker thought the cleavage was rather between the power boards and supply authorities. The Alanawatu-Oroua Board’s remit urging the amalgamation of urban and rural areas had been supported by the representatives of the Auckland and Christchurch City Councils and carried. Discussing the application of the 75 per cent, rebate of the recently struck general rate, Air AV. AlcKay asked if it was granted in a case where the back of a property passed witn’n ten chains of a power line, and was informed that it was not. He also asked what was the position of a man with a house on one property within ten chains of a line, ‘and being the owner of another property more than ten chains away. The chairman said the exemption would be granted to the latter property,, though that would not be the case if it were contiguous with the other. AIAINTENANCE OF SERVICES. Reporting on the activities of the month the engineer (Air W. A. AVaters) stated,, inter alia: “The Feilding lines gang has been engaged in tlie rearrangement of lines in the Beaconsfield Valley. This work has been completed and the silver pine poles taken out and returned to the depot yard. General maintenance work has been carried out in the Halcombe, Apiti and AVaituna districts in addition to the usual work in the Feilding borough. Other work carried out includes the unloading of two trucks of poles at Bunnythorpe, delivering a tank from the depot yard to the Cheltenham Dairy Coy. pig farm, repairs to the 11,000-volt feeder at Sanson, replac ing a broken insulator on the Kim bolton feeder at Colyton, and dismantling a number of earth guards and angle hooks in the same locality A number of poplar trees growing near our lines on the river bed at South Street, Feilding, were cut down Repairs were also carried out to lines at Gillespie’s Line, Kelvin Grove, Longburn, Robert’s Line, Lockwood and Ashliurst. Owing to new load at Colyton, a new 11,000-volt transformer was erected and the location of existing one shifted. The 3300volt wire on the Bunnytliorpe-Feild-ing ltoad for about half a mile was changed to a larger size and the line overhauled. The new outdoor substation of 600 k.v.a. capacity at the Feilding freezing works has been completed and put into service. AVithin a short time now the whole of the load of the works will be supplied from our lines, the estimated load being about 450 kilowatts.

“The gale in September was responsible for a macrocarpa service pole being broken and a transformer was burnt out at Rangiotu, while a tree fell across the lines at Oroua Downs. In addition much work was necessarj to remove small branches of pinus insignus off the lines. These small pieces, not longer than 12 inches, are broken off the toils of trees and hang on the wires and ultimately set fire to the cross-arms and involve considerable travelling and patrol work to keep lines in service. “The work of changing clocks- for daylight saving this year is in hand and, in order to save expense, is being done on certain rounds by meter readers in conjunction with meter reading- This is permissible owing to the early date of starting daylight saving and the fact that our load will increase considerably this quarter. “Tire following new consumers were given a supply during the month: Lighting and heating, 10; motors for milking, 10; ranges, 3; water heaters, 2; other motors, 19; additions to existing installations, 20; total, 70. “Considerable trouble and anxiety to maintain an efficient service lias been caused by breakdowns of motor vehicles. The neiv chassis were received from Wellington and delivered to the body builders at Feilding but we have had to take one from them and run it with a box for a seat to carry out meter reading and re-setting of time switches. For the last two week-ends the mechanic has -worked continuously.” FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

The following statement of finances was tabled by the managing-secretary (Mr K. W. Eglinton): —Amount oi loans, £507,200. Balance, of loan account, £27 17s sd; power fund advance, £llO7 15s Id; total, £1135 12s 6d. Installations and sales: Collections during the month, £251 10s 9d; amount outstanding, £4908 13s sd. Sales of current.—Total sales 5 months 1933, £27,159 8s 4d; total sales 5 months, 1932, £20,073 7s 9d; an increase of £486 0s 7d. The revenue for the month compared with same period last year decreased by £4l Os lid —being the first month in the reduction of milking . motor charges. Bank balances. —Loan account, £27 17s sd; power fund account, £B9OB 4s lid. LOAN CONVERSION. “While in Wellington I interviewed the Loans Board officials and the Bublic Trustee relative to loan conversion,” stated Mr Eglinton. “Included in the board’s loans is the sum of £31,700 which was raised by the Feilding Borough Council and this board indemnified the council when purchasing the undertaking. To convert these loans in the board’s name it will be necessary for legislation to be passed and a remit was passed at the Power Boards’ Conference to give effect to this, as many power boards are in the same position. If the necessary legislation is not passed it will be necessary to approach the Feilding Borough Council asking them to convert on behalf of the board at the board’s expense. In the meantime it is recommended not to proceed further.”