HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 115, 8 February 1919, Page 8

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

THE NATIONAL SCHEME

CHIEF ENGINEER BEFORE INDUSTRIES

COMMITTEE

VALUABLE INFORMATION

The Parliamentary Committee appointed to inquire during tho recess into matters to .benefit and encourage the industries of the Dominion resumed'its investigations yesterday in the joint committeo rooiji, Old Parliamentary Build-

Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (chairman)

presided. Mr. E. Parry, .the Chief Electrical Engineer, to. tho .Government, came before tho coniniittco to givo information'as to

the development of hydro-electric power in Now Zealand. Mr. Parry said, that ho had prepared in detail the. scheme for .hydro-elcctric

power service in the North. Island, but ■had prepared tlie corresponding Rcheme for the South Island only in outline. As ho was leaving New Zealand, the details of the South' Island scheme/ would have to bo filled in by his'successor. He said that wlien the schemes were in operation, a great development of industry might bo expected, especially in the treatment of ore\g.' He mentioned what was being done in the way of railway development under schemes of i-lectric power distribution in other countries. In the United States,there was a section of-electrified mountain railway over the Rockies, which, according to a. statement of the President, had made Americans fouget the existence of the continental divide. Among the industries in which great progress might be expected after the installation of an idequate service was ffliat built upon electro-chemical and electro-metallurgical work. In the course of observations, which he accompanied by reference to maps, Mr. Parry said that -the seliemo as it had been possible to make it out for the North Island was in maii.v respects almast ideal. Mr. Parry was asked whether he nersonally knew of the existence in New Zealand >of mineral deposits such as he had spoken of. He replied that he had not himself inquired extensively into tlie matter, imt he knew from iiiciuiries lie , e , i that de Pi?- ,its existed which would be treated if power were available at a reasonable charge.

Local Supplies. Mr. Hornsby: I ask you a question in.connection with local affairs Mr. Parry? They are contemplating a locai supply in the Wairarapa. Given that they are successful in getting a certain amount of power, when your permanent work comes along will it be possible foe you to take up aitf make use of-those small supplies ?r-"You. would probably find it advantageous to keep in 6 small supply as a standby in case of accident" Tlie chairman: But, tfould the Government take it over?—"l would not m? over. It would cost too much," The chairman: In, regard to local schemes: Where the Government is unable to complete a supply of power with5 reasonable time, and the neople of the locality not supplied start works ot their own, what would approximately be the cost per horse-power they would be justified in paying ?-"I take it they would havo_ before them as a model the Coleridge scheme." That costs j;s(Ufier horse power ?—"_£.ls or thereabouts." Would dffferent districts be justified in spending their own'money to the extent nS" per ' lorse -P°wer to'get the. power? — Yes, they would ho justified in spendWf right up to .E100." . Where the capital cost per horse-power is over ,£IOO, the people should wait ten omtif s ' ears f° r the Government supW' — They should go ahead, but not if it is going to cost mare than .6100." ' The Shortage of Labour, I'Voni your experience of tho activities of tho Public Works Department in the matter, how long will it be before these mirks are put in hand and completed?-' •Tho-difficulty we are up against is the shortage of labour. New Zealand is short practically of 30,000 able-bodied men at the present time." We would like some suggestions as to how we can best get over the difliculties and get on with the bulk of the business. "I would not care to tackle more than the preparatory works at the present time. ' .Will you suggest that the Government snould confine itself to the development of one source of power alone, ana complete it, rather than spread their energies over tho'whole of the different propositions?—" That is somewhat difficult h answer." Mr. Parry 'explained that different propositions were Interdependent, njid if one source were, proceeded with it would in 6ome cases bo almost necessary tolstal't before long on another source that was connected with it. Would it be possible for you to furnish us with a written report making suggestions as to liow the work should be' proceeded with considering the difficulties which are in front of you?—"I think I could promise that." Lnst Parliament voted a sum of money. Was that sufficient for you to enable this preliminary work to' be carried'out?—"Quite ample." You are not being blocked by the Government in regard to money?—"No, I am not." When t;he .EiaO.OOO was voted, it was stated freely that it was not sufficient. We are getting it from you that the > money was sufficient considering the labour availablo?—"Yes." In reply to a question from another member if the committee. Mr. Parry said that lie would like another .£150,000, or at least ,£130,01)0, for developing South Canterbury.. Miv Side.y: Is tho labour you would have the greatest shortago of chiefly unskilled labour?—"No/ I was thinking of | tunnelling work." ' Time Required. .. A member: Supposing/all tho necessary i labour wore available, and the question | ofi finance were not a bar, how long would it, take before you could develop the 100,000 horse-power you have mentioned in connection with the three North Island sources ?—"lt would fake three years to develop 10,000 from eacli source." Mr. Parry explained that if this amount wero developed it could easily be increased as time went on. ;\sked what limit he would place on thfe horse-power in a local scheme, whether hydro-electric oj* not, Mr. Parry said tlmt ho knew of paving schemes in which up to J3150 or .£l6O per horsepower had been spent. Light Railways. Mr. Hornsby: Do I understand you to linve said that, the same grades, that could bo utilised _ for an ordinary good road, could-be utilised for a light Tailwav?—"Yes, you have an example hero in tlie tramway to Wadestown mid up to Brooklyn." Did you,.say that these lines made on tho roads could be used, with electrio power, to run u moderately large-sized train?—"No, gonoral'v it would be a composite single vdliicle." In summing up the niain points raised for tlie consideration of the committee the chairman said: "Mr. Parry has promised to submit an outline of the works in both islands if nossible. but at any rate in 'the North'lsland, which cnu be expeditiously proceeded with considering the. labour'"available." There, is another noint raised by Mr. Parry—that h n could do with a further 41130.000 for tho development of tho Lake Coleridge scheme. That is a matter for the committee to report on, as it is a very, .- important thing. In that connection there would be no difficulty in regard to labour, I presume ?" . ' Mr. Parry: It is nnlv a .matter of material and of distribution. ELECTRICITY APPLIED TO INDUSTRY ADDRESS AT SCIENCE CONGRESS. By Tdecripli—Press Association. Christchurch, February (1. .At the Science Congress (<i-da.v Mr. If. Hill, of Napier, read a paper on Ihe subject of clccirical development and its irnportanco to the Dominion in the provision of power. He said that New Zealand had an abundance of rivers, each one of- which, could bo utilised for tho provision of power for the carrying'on of industry, and that power would run to millions of horse-jiowor. Tho ,ww

I could be Uscd for the driving of machinery in every, department of industry and for the lighting of every part of the ! Dominion wharo light would be useful. Ho made special reference to the Lake Coleridge seliemo and the inestimable value it would yet bo to tlie whole of the South Island. The paper closed with an appeal to all industrialists, mule and female, to urgo the utilisation of the yet unharnessed power which must inevitably take the place of the coal _ furnace. Railway .and' everything else that moved would in the near futun-o 1)0 driven by electricity, and, tho. saving in tho cost of coal by the introduction of the electric-spark would be almost incalculable. '

Some discussion . followed tho reading of the paper , < and . high complimelits wero paid to' Mr. Hill and to tho district lie came from, where the adoption of electricity as a power was enthusiastically advocated.