INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 308, 17 September 1918, Page 9

INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION

' ANNUAL MEETING. Tho annual inceting : ofthoWelling;M Industrial. Association was held last evening. Mr. i l '. J. Kvans presided. 'l'ho annual report stated that what New Zealand had done in tho matter of tho repatriation of returned soldiers iuigljt;be considered satisfactory so far as it went. It was in tho light of a makeshift during the currency of tlio war. J3ut tho real matter must necessarily proro a hugo task, and tho ' sooner tliat was realised the hotter. 'Our industries must expand. Our' secondary industries (manufacturing) ■must be soriously considered, oven to the same extent as our primary industries. . A Department of New Zealand Industries was desired. . The Industries Committee sot up by the Government could not possibly be expected to do what' wdsf- desired. "Speaking of our industries naturally brings up necessity for hydro-electric power. We liavo sufficient evideuce as to the ex*, celle'iit results of the Lake Coleridge hydro-electric power scheme, which is supplying at the present tirno 8000 h.p., arid is capable of development to at least 10,000 h.p. A league termed the Mangahao , Hydro-Electric '.Power League has. been formed at Falmerston North, and a league is also being formed ,in'. Auckland. 1 • The necessity for hydro-electric po\yer is freely admitted by the Government, but there exists that tendency to do nothing definite until after the- war. It is hoped that through the efforts' of tho leagues formed, the Government will be_ prevailed upon to take the preliminary steps at an early date. About fifteen years ago Mr. Parry v/as appointed by • ;the Government to report ;on the fkjssibilities of hydro-electric power in tho Dominion. Dunedin has carried out a local scheme at "VVaipori Falls has proved o complete success. Tho Lake Coleridge scheme was introduced by the Government to supply Christchurch and surrounding districts. All surrounding districts there asked for extension of the power to their respective localities. Ml - . Parry, in his' re.nort, refers to a scheme of 25,000 h.p. for the supply of Wellington, at a cost of £1,000,000. ' Napier has a scheme for supply from Lake Waikaremoana. Auckland is considering the advisablenoss of power from the Aj'apuni Gorge, .eighteen miles from Hora Horn." In moving the adoption of the report Mr. Evans said that lie looked back on tho ycarjs .work with feelings of disappointment. Things attempted had not' been completed. The question of hydro-electric power had been frequent-. ' ly distiussed, but the great power.available in the Mangahao River had not vet been inade available for industry. In England, Canada, and America the application of. science to industryhad. been attacked,''but -in.. New Zealand, it had been only < slifehtly gone into. 1 Some mouths ago a plan, had before the Hon. G. .W. Russell, Minister of Internal Affairs, to enable the brams of .scientific -men to be .fused with the brains of industrial men, but nothing in the way of a reply had' been heard from the . Government. Mr. Evans regretted' that progress in matters connected, with'teohnical education had not been made. Efforts had failed owing to inability to get th 6 Government to work. He hoped that the decision of the association to join tlie Workers' - Educational Association would result in. a closer body of sympathy with the' members of trade \Unions. , , • ; Mr., L. T. Watkins seconded- tho mo'tion. wffich 'was'aimed.-' ', • Officers were , elected as follow: President, Mr.. K. Mainland; ti«t 'presidents, Messrs;. C;- J. Ward and H. A: Read; treasurer, Mr. R. J. Hardio\Sliaw; General Committee, Messrs. J';. :E.'Sfconebanks, G. "ft. Slndo, " • :]* •Thompson,. -Gathi?. A. O. Mit- ,: .bhell L, T, K BulljW. Caiile, W. Vickorman,' F. C Grease,'R.:6. Denton, J• R- Luke, M. Manthell, W. M'Lay, C.B. Norwood, C. PalliserJ 'L. R- rartndje, and I'. t-yosseler ; auditor, Mr. A. T. Claike.