HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 52, 26 November 1918, Page 7

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

THE GOVMNMF.NT'S SCHEMES. The Minister of Public Works (Sir William I'rasyr) stated yesterday that the report outlining the proposals of the Government for the . (levelopnienr of hydro-electric power would be ready to be''presented to the House of Representatives to-morrow. He added that sufficient money for preliminary work could, bo taken in this year's Estimates, and that ft special appropriation would not be necessary until next session. . The scheme? discussol in the report will provide electric power eventually for all the important centres of tho North Island mid (he South Island, and it isunderstood that the Minister propose* to ' niako a beginning on a. substantial scale in tho North Island m the near future. A sum of at least .£12,000,000 will be required eventually for. hydro-electric' development, but .Ml is.expenditure will be spread over a considerable period'of yearn,- Work on. an e.xtensivo scale will not be practicable dunnc; the remaining portion of tho present finahc'ifil'ycnr, since the labour difficulty will not be overcome by tho return of f soldiers within that, period. The Minister mentioned yesterday that the Public Works estimates would be ready for presentation )o . tho House either at the end of this week or the beßinning of next week. The estimates, he stated, would niake ample provision tor the necessities that might arise before Parliament met again.