COLERIDGE POWER.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17109, 2 April 1921, Page 10

COLERIDGE POWER.

RIVER DIVERSION*

' rWlitte in Tb - ursda y> Mr \ & Jones>Mv£., interviewed the Hon. p'Q, Coated, Minister ot Public Works, ia'Tegard toHhe rumour that -work nad bek stopped on the Harper river ft fialte- CoWidge, The Minister is veSed' to too said that 80 cubic feet. £ &r p*r -second ,ww J^ fiU'.tfie lake at its present level, and giving moYe than had EL to 175 cubic second "was now flowing into also eaid that the SSTof the permanent groyne had but while a big ISmdlHta ihoney/could be mode, fSSwA guarantee of permanencexiyer 1 ., /Che upkeep• rf §S p^®cfienfe not costly, and witKW scheme there would be the && ft .washout in the event ot SKf* W river. The Gwwwneut, fiowever, was not prepared to embark ' "permanent diversion I Progress League has, I S fenfereats of present «*d prospecelectrical'tfower, taken an HBnSart m the Harper" river diver-cS-and many communicai&passed betweenithe organiser Mt Olunie) and the Minister, lhe on March 21st to a Oimie* regarding tfeo Wtom&il't&voTTjL on "the Harper diversK?sataat be,was assured **»**«£ Bporajy channel < would be. sufficient jail the water and no cause : for anxiety. This J« not supported by sathmrenoxfc of an, inspection of tine lake ffidi?dKg holidays by-officials IpfeibeV Progress League and Christpfiuich,BPessmen. Mr Chmie istew MMnisteir of Public Works at Wo.tliligwrnext Monday, and m the finßime local bodies m Canterbury fmvei'bee'n circularised pointing out tJie glw-esaityfor the lake level being raised SjllsMn aspossible. The-citcular confSnde»: 'fWhile the League has no dosafre.V'harass the Government, during a and trying period, or to causo Steven by suggestion any unnecessary %UrnY; 'it--must, nevertheless, fait a niost emphatic protest against Shy delay in the establishment' of the fSectric4l undertaking upon a sound aud &DC«nanenfc vhasis. Ttoe matter will be Sffiuly discussed at the quarterly meeting fcofithe League's council next Wednes-KJsatf-Jdh&n action will no doubfr fr'Tje 'taken* " In- the meantime, and in border to'save time*, I am directed to good'services.of your CounjSaTai fflHlport of the stand taken by the jajeagus/and'to suggest that any action Sfodtenrin the iriatter should be by direct ffi&pealHo tteGoverainent." S^ln.connexion with the matter, Mr *oliniie said yesterday that if Mr Jones Mad carreotiy understood what the Mraferter stated, the position was even more g&jrious, than the .League had supposed. ISffiey/were' tinder the impression chat TtcSrk on the-permanent diversion of the SSftn» r had been postponed'because of Rfce nbancial situation, but it would E«3riMir now that the Minister had aban-

doned the larger work altogether, :ind was going to content-himself with an endeavour to keep the river m its present channel—a task which, he, admitted was extremely difficult. ~,.-.