CITY POWER SCHEMES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 215, 9 June 1920, Page 3

CITY POWER SCHEMES

ISSUE STILL IN DOUBT

CITY COUNCIL NOT UNANIMOUS fßy "Civis.") Which power policy to pursue is a question a!Jll exercising minds of city councillors, and from a consensus of opinion drawn from various sources it would appear that the question lias not nearlv reached finality. It will he. recalled that when the City Council first considered the rival proposals—to extend the Harris-Mercer Streets plant or go in for an entirely new power-house at Evans Bay—it wns decided by 8- votes to 6 to, adopt the proposal of' the three engineers (Messrs W. R. Morton, George i Lauchlan, and M; Gable), which was for the- extension of the' existing plant. That joint report; committed the engineers to a policy of economical extension, w) as 'to fill in th'e gap between the present and the time when the Mangahao scheme will lie .in order, after which the city -station should quite suffice as a stand-by. Then Councillor J; ■ Hutchison moved his rescinding motion, .' and to Vie surprise of members of the City Council and the public, Messrs. Morton and Cable .reversed their attitude completely, and reported in favour of a new power-house at Evans Buy,' whilst Mr. Lauchlan adhered slaunchly to his original report, and still .does so. '. When the notice of motion (by Councillor Hutchison) was discussed by the council in .committee, the reports of Messrs. Morton and" Cable and the minority report!; by Mr. Lnuchlan were before it. Naturally some councillors •were swayed by the volte face of the first-named engineers, but even though that was the case, the rescinding motion was only carried bv: 11 votes. to 7 (according to one councillor), and when put-to the council in the open, the dissentients in ronvmittee did not trouble to raise their voices. This is 'mentioned to make plain to citizens the' history of a subieot in which they are vitally concerned. ■ , ':'..' Since tho council came to its second decision by reversing its first, the Mayor (Mrr i. Y. Luke) has spontaneously offered evidence of a doubt as to the wisdom of the course-being pursued,_ by showing that he in not averse to independent reports being obtained on the important issue, and he mentioned Sir Arnold Gridley and; Mr. L. Birks, as men whose views might lie of vai-ne to Wellington-at the present juncture. The point as to whether either of the gentlemen named has the requisite qualifications to adjudicate in the mater wou'd naturally be a subject for inquiry. Sir Arnold Gridley was concerned in administrative work as controller or director of electric power plants under the Brft ish Munitions Board, but that post would give him little or no experience of hvdro-electric power, and his knowledge of local conditions must necessarily berestricted. It would; however, be a gain if Sir Arnold Gridley could .give the; Citv Council definite information on the score -of the cost of power plants today, and say whether or not the figures presented by Messrs. Morton and Cable in that regard arc a good guide as'to what would have'to be paid if the ordeT were cabled Home this week. As « commercial emissary, Sir Arnold should have such information at his finger-tips, and should be able to help the City Council in this, if in no other direction. The point is all important, because some members of the council, have been swayed in reversing their votes by 'die comparatively small difference between the cost of the extensions in town ,nnd ft new power-house at Evans Bay. If that . margin were, say, twice as wide, as it ' may be, the decision arrived at might ' not hold. ' The case for the new station at Evans . Bay has one point in its favour. ■ From air aesthetic point of view it may be desirable to have tho power-station remote, from the centre of population,'and close to the water's edge (in order to effect economics in coal handling),' but Mr. Lauchlaii emphasise? in his report that he deals with the question solely - from'itho.■ieconQiiiical'.' standpoint,.. ;His; echeme o'f : .pdv'idihg" ibF the-'city's re-' quirements is so modest—-<rnd yet.no coneiders it eminently found—that it would not be necessary to go to. the ratepayers, for a loan, whereas 'for, the major. scheme the ratepayers would have 1 to be approached to sanction a loan. The council might yet be placed in the position of having that sanction withheld—solely .because there are much more economical and ftasible means of achieving tho same end. Thai!: would postpone the , whole question for months, and probably would see next winter here with nothing further achieved. Can the council afford to take that risk? Dare the council take that risk, in the' light of the economies which have had to. be effected this winter, and with hundreds of applications for light and power in band? '