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Page Ten at convenient depots, and varying in length from 40 feet down to 26 feet.

Special provision is made at the Wairau crossing on the Havelock section for carrying the line over the river on three steel towers, the central towers being supported from steel joists driven into the river bed, with protection against flood damage.

The Mahakipawa line, which will traverse the hills from Havelock to Mahakipawa, will be built on easily transportable steel rails.

The reticulation is of the type whieh is now standard throughout New Zealand, supply being given to all consumers at 230 volts for lighting, heating, cooking, etc., and at 400 volts for power purposes.

WIRING OF HOUSES.

Profiting by the experience of older Boards which proves that, in the first two or three years of operation, serious losses have been incurred through the fact that when power was switched on there were insufficient consumers to provide revenue to meet the expenses, the Marlborough Power Board has, from the outset, endeavored to induce prospective consumers to have their premises wired, so that an immediate market would be available for the current generated. To this end, provision was made in the loan proposal under which the Board has paid the initial expense of wiring consumers’ premises, and is being recouped under the instalment system. A contract was also let to a firm of wiring contractors, wnder whieh the firm agreed to canvass the district for consumers, amd wire such premises as they got orders for.

THE MEN WHO BUILT THE DAM. Some of the hands employed by the Contractor, Mr. W. Williamson, of Christchurch,