LOOKING AHEAD

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2707, 29 February 1916, Page 6

LOOKING AHEAD

—0 — NEW POWER HOUSE FOR WELLINGTON. ; . WATERFRONT SITE WOULD SAVE £1000 A YEAR. Sooner or later, according" to tho growth of the demand for electricity, both for tramway traction, general commercial uses,, and household purposes, the Wellington City Corporation will have to provide for itself a new powerhouse. The City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) has foreseen the requirement, which has been given point to by tho preparation for the reception, at the Wakefield Street tramways power-house, of the last boiler that the building can find ground room for. Referring to the matter yesterday the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said that the City, would havo to look round for the best site for a new power-house before very long, ' though he'confessed he had not given the matter much thought as yet. Orie thing was quite certain, and that was that wherever it was fituated it would have to be right on the waterfront, close to where coal steamers, drawing 26ft. of water, could: berth. Mr. Morton had stated that if the pre- I sent • power-houses were alongside 'the water, a saving of, over £1000 a year could be effected. One suggestion was that it might be placed near the destructor at Clyde Quay, but objection might be raised to that as it meant another factory-like building at the approach to Wellington's most picturesque and popular promenade. It may b? quite possible to erect the new' power-house at some place in Evans Bay, whore there was deep water. With tho future growth of Kilbirnie South, Lyall Bay/ and Miramar to be considered such a site might prove in years io come- to be appreciably nearer the centre of tlie system than the present power-houses.' The growth in the use of electricity for power and light, judged on the actual experience of the last ten years, gives the cue for the future, and it. was their duty to tlie citizens of today as well as to those of to-morrow to look as far ahead as possible in connection with this great, utility.