local citizen r.s. ready was so sure of the advantages of electricity that he built on 5th avenue the first house in new zealand that relied solely on electricity. mandeno designed a hot water cylinder for the house, that was built from galvanized iron insulated with 150 mm of pumice. within four years the council had expanded its reticulation to supply rural areas as far as gate pa, otumoetai, papamoa and oropi.