CHEAPER POWER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 207, 21 May 1918, Page 8

CHEAPER POWER

SHANNON HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME

DEMAND Tβ "GO AHEAD"

At last Bight's meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association the- chairman (Mi-, p. J. Evans) wported on the ! visit of Wellington and Paliriewiozi. j North goutleuier. to Shannon legardlng i the proposed Mangahao hydro-electric i scheme. Mr. Evans said that the visit was most interesting to all the delegates, j who were able- to familiarise Ibemeelveb j with tho local conditions, and the im- j pressions received would doubtless enable them to urge the necessity for the awakening of public interest to tho immense possibilities in view, to the urgent need of harnessing the power now running tc waste day after day and iKght after night, and the need for persiotsnt agitation and pressure on the authorities to begin on we preliminary work. At present it was impossible to obtain any of the.machinery or wires or other iiku requirement, but there was much to be dono with pick and shovel. Tho money was available, and there were indications that labour was becoming freer than it had been for eomo months past. Mr. Evans remarked that it was proposed to i divert the waters of the Jtfa-ugaheo P.iver and lead them for a distance of three . miles towards Shannon by flume and tunnel. The first tunnel would be one | mile in length, leading tho water from j the river to a storage lake formed by I damming tie Arapeti and - Tokjiniarm j streams. From the lako there would rim another tunnel two miles long, conveying tho w:er through the last range of hilts at the back of Shannon to a surge chamber, whose level would be more or less that of the river Mangahao, which • was about 1265 feet above sea level. From j this point there woe a drop of about; !)0D feet to the power-house site, in a short distance of about three-quarters of a mile, and the water would be convey-1 ed thenco by steel pipe lines, terminating at tho power-houw, which was promoted to develop 55,000 horse-power. It might be noted that the present requirements of tho city tramways and iigbring departments combined airiounted to about 8000 horse-power. The transmission lines were here immediately in touch with well-formed Mads and facilities tor local distribution-south to Wellington, north as far as Pamiersion and Wangamu, east to Woodville, Dannevirke, and the naivarapa Valley. ' , Mr. Watkins said that it was the duty of the Industrial Association to do something towards getting a cheap _ power scheme started. It was the business to see that something was done respecting the Shannon scheme Christchurch, served by the M? Coioridge scheme, had advantage; which Wellington did not enjoy. Electric lorries could bo run there af a cost of about -EH per year for the electricity. ' Mr. Mainland said that anyone who had heard Mr. Parry's lectures would be satisfied that the only thing to do now was to move tho Government to mako a S The chairman: If I find that, the Chambor of Commerce will go ahead and do something I am content to work in with it. If not the association will move on its own account. We seem bo have got to the end of the possibilities of deputations to the Minister. Ho saye ho has the money, and all" ho is waiting for ii tho men. A member: If he does not get the men soon he won't have the money. Mr Hardio Shaw said that he had been asked to convey a resolution which tho Central Chamber of Commerce had i pawed that afternoon, to the effect that I a league should be formed to forward the matter, and that a conference should be held at the Manawatu Winter Show. On tho motion of the chairman it was decided to support the Central Chamber of Commerce proposal. Mr. F. G. Dalziell said it was a mistake to acquiesce in tho Government attitude that they cannot get the machinery. It could be got if the Government went about it the Tight way. If they showed England that they wanted it to develop the whole power of the country to make New Zealand more productive for tho ■Empire than befors the machinery would be forthcoming. Tho labour difficulty could be got over by co-ordin-ntion of industry. Mr Watkins: That has tan attempted here, but the Government wont n - 'ov them to sro on with it. If yon'will tell Mr. Ferguson that idea you might do a lot of good/ , Mr. Dalziell: I have told him.