Opposition Demand Expert Investigation

Chronicle (Levin), 29 March 1947, Page 4

Opposition Demand Expert Investigation

-Press Association

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, March 28. The appointment of a committee of highly 'q.ualitied experts aSsociated with the technical and commercial side of the electric supply industry to investigate and report on the present and future supply situation was considered necessary hy the National Party at its caucus today. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. S. G. Holland) stated this evening that the puhlic was entitled to know, an'd should he fully informed of the true position. Thc Opposition, added- Mr. Holland, strongly regretted the matter being treated with levity as the Prime Minister had do'ne in his statenient last week. The matter was f'ar too serious, the inconvenienee being sufEered by the people was far too great and the shortages fn the production of goods needed by the people were mueh too grave for the matter to be treated as a joke. "The extremely grave situation of our hydro-electricity supply and its effeets upon the country 's production in both town and country as well as the great inconvenienee being experienced by all housewives, was fully discussed at the Opposition caucus for the past two days," said Mr. Holland. "The people were entitled to know just where the responsibility lay. The Minister of Works and the Government had, notwithstanding repeated warnings going back to the prewar period, refused to 'acknowledge the necessity for stepping up the supply to keep pace with the ever-increasing demand, and by prqviding auxiliary oil fuel generating plants. On one occasion when a warning was being conveyed to the Minister his a'nswer given in characteristic style was to tell the supply authorities 'not to he panicky', and that the position would be fully met. The Minister himself had stated in the House of Representatives that he personally ordered the cessation of work at Waikaremoana and after some years of delay the original seheme was gone on with. Furthermore, tho Aiinister 'and his Department ordered the closing down of smaller power schemes in various parts of the country which would have been such a great help at the present time. "It is no use the Minister saying that auxiliary plaxit cannot be obtained,"'said Mr. Holland. "The oflicial trade journals show that such plant has been shipped to India, Cbina, Turkey, Russia, Burma and the East Indies. If those countries can obtain plaut so could New Zealand, but we are always too slow and too late. "By its own policy the Government has deiiberately built up a demand for electricity at a much greater rate than it can supply tlie power, and it cannot escape the full responsibility. It has miscalculated the growth in the demand and made no provision at all for adequate reserves. It appears to be certam that serious shortages will be experienced for a long time yet and it will -be physically impossible to catch up on arreai's and provide reserves to eater for emergencies for a number of years to come. "We all want to see industries increase and thrive, but it is positively ridiculous to be planning for more and more factories when there is not, sufficient electricity available now, nor will there be in the immediate future to supply the factories already in existence, Several very large power-consuming Industries at present being built or contemplated will add still further to the difficulties at present being experienced. The only alternative to the present disastrous supply situation appears to be in the installation of major oilburning plants which should be undertaken without a day's avoidable delay. At least three more major generating schemes, one in the south and two in the north, will be necessary in any longterm plan." Mr. Holland said the Government 's misliandling of this vital national undertaking had been such as to undermine public eonfidenee in its ability to plan adequatclv. Notwithstanding all that was said about planning for this and planning for that, the indisputable fact was that demand had seriousl5 outstripped supply. By its own policy the Government had built up a demand far beyond what the same Government was able to meet and the responsibility must be fixed where it rightly belonged. Tlie National Party -considered a committee of the most highly qualified experts associated with the technical and commercial side of the electric supply industry should be set up to investigate and report on the present and future supply situation.