REASON FOR SUPPORTING MANGAHAO SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 199, 18 May 1920, Page 8

REASON FOR SUPPORTING MANGAHAO SCHEME

Sir,—l regret to find in some Quarters a disposition to abandon the vigorous prosecuting of the Mangahao works in favour of other schemes, 'efi., Ilutt, Aka-( tarawa, Waiohone, etc. Mr. Parry, whom all admit is a real expert, a first-class-, authority. on hydro-electric works, was instructed to report upon the water powders- ii!. the Wellington provincial dis-! trict. He measured the available sources and decided the finest was at the Mangahao, where it runs close to the 'i'okoK,iru Hiver—due east of Shannon.Here lie tells us is 21,000 horse-power, and any other source of power was less, than half that amount;- He writes:—' "Generally speaking a water-powder of less than 10,000 h.p. cannot be economically developed." "Small powers'aro unduly costly." "The cost of operations, attendance, etc.,' is much the same for a small plant as for a large nlant." All through his report he persistently advises the harnessing ;of big waterpowers ns being far cheaper. For many reasons he urges the construction of the Mangahao.works. He adds: "Mangahao is ideally situated for the Supply of the Wellington district, as it is within a few miles of the centre of gravity of the load." It will give power for some years for Palmerston North, Levin, city of Wellington', and all the Wairarapa. Further, lie writes: "The development is a particularly good one," wid clinches the'- arguments thus: "The scheme will pay'all charges, in a very short time." Mr. Parry constructed the very successful work at Lake Coleridge,-and had the experience iof this to guido him in saying Mangahao will pay interest,, sinking fund, depreciation, and woi'knifi expenses. The Government,have had men working at the roads and other things' for over a year. Now over 110 men are at work on the 6chemc. The Government have power by Act to raise the money to finish the work. How anyone, in tho_ face of such overwhelming evidence in favour of Mangnhao, can advocate any smaller, dearer scheme pusses my understanding. Within three years this work can. be completed, and Wellington have ample power for local industries, for trams, power for townsfolk and, faimer alike,, and be relieved, •from the discomforts and drawbacks attendant upon persistent coal shortage; Mangahao power will,, bo supplied in about 200,000 people. /Having shown the great advantage of vigorously prosecuting work at Mangahao,. I propose to show reasons against beginning any other scheme.—l am, etc., . A. K. NEWMAN.