D.—l

74

Timaru Line. There were eighty-nine interruptions during the year on this line, of a total duration of 90 hours 8 minutes. While the majority of these interruptions were of short duration, a certain numbei extended to some hours. The most serious of these occurred on the 30th December, when a pole was washed out in the Orari River during the excessive floods experienced. Supply was not restored for 18 hours 55 minutes. The majority of the outages were due to bark, branches of trees, magpies, and defective insulators. These troubles are being dealt with, and the insulators for replacing those of defective manufacture arrived at the close of the year, and will be erected as soon as possible. The erection of the second line to Timaru should reduce the total interruptions to a minimum. General. A third bank of transformers, of 12,000 Iv.V.A. capacity, was ordered in May for the power-house-This bank, now being erected, will be of similar capacity to the two existing banks, and will bring the transformer capacity of the station up to 36,000 K.Y.A., equal to total generator capacity in the station when the present duplication works are completed. The extensions to Addington Substation are practically completed, and the work of installing the third bank of 4,500 kw. transformers has commenced. A contract was let in August for the supply of a 6,000 K.V.A. synchronous condenser. Shipment of this machine has been made, and it should be in operation before the close of the present year. With the projected increased capacity of the generating plant, and the additional 11 k.v. feeders required at Addington Substation, it was found necessary to increase the capacity of the switchgear, and tenders were called for the supply of this equipment, and a contract let on the 2nd June, 1925. The South Canterbury Power Board commenced the reticulation of Geraldine County, and supply was given at the close of the year to Temuka. It is anticipated that the Board will be in a position to supply Geraldine County and Waimate during the coming year. Arrangements were completed with the Springs-Ellesmere Power Board for the purchasejof the Department's reticulation in Paparua County, this area being taken over by the Board in December. Lake Coleridge Duplication. The civil-engineering portion of the duplication works is being reported on separately by the General Branch. In July a contract was let to Messrs. Andersons Limited for the supply and erection of Nos. 5 and 6 pipe-lines. These pipe-lines will supply the water for the two 7,500 kw. turbines and generators. At the close of the year practically all the material was to hand, and the contractors have made good progress with the manufacture of the pipes, and arrangements had been made to commence erection. A contract was let in September to Messrs. Yickers Limited, for the supply of two 12,650 h.p. turbines, and to Messrs. Bruce Peebles and Co. (Limited) for two 7,500 kw. generators. A contract for the necessary switch-gear was let in January to Messrs. Metropolitan-Vickers (Limited), and delivery dates of this equipment are such that the additional plant capacity of 15,000 kw. should be available by about June, 1926. Rainfall. The rainfall at the power-house for the year was 36-53 in., a record for the ten years during which readings have been taken. The highest daily rainfall and the highest monthly rainfall were both in April —2-30 in. and 6-59 in. respectively. Waikato Electric Supply. Capital Outlay. The capital outlay at the end of the year was £522,973, as compared with £474,817 at the end of last year, an increase of £48,156. This is analysed in Table J herewith. Of this outlay, £128,550 represents assets not in operation, principally extensions to the power-station. Financial Results of Operation and Future Prospects. The year ended with a profit of £17,053, after paying working costs, interest, depreciation, and sinking fund. The annual revenue increased from £59,924 last year to £65,184 this year, an increase of £5,260, or slightly under 9 per cent. Table H gives the financial results of operation and operating figures, and the revenue from different classes of consumers is shown in the following statement : — 1923. '1924. 1925. Revenue from — £ i£ I Large mining companies .. .. .. 20,177 24,635 18,086 Power Boards .. .. .. .. 14,728 26,007 35,302 Hamilton Borough .. .. .. 2,911 4,621 5,461 Other wholesale consumers .. .. 2,565 3,281 4,26*' Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 1,437 1,380 2,071 £41,818 £59,924 £65,18'. It, will be seen from the figures that the revenue from mines has decreased by about £6,600, due to the stoppage of the Grand Junction Company's operations. The increase of over £9,000 in revenue