A TENTATIVE INQUIRY.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 652, 22 July 1921, Page 5

A TENTATIVE INQUIRY.

MAUKU WANTS ELECTRICITY. The development of a country depends to a large extent upon the influential persons in its midst, coupled with the facilities available for such development, and so it follows that the progress of a county or a part of a county, depends on the men at the wheel, to steer the right course to prosperity. Various parts of the Franklin County have, during the last few years developed out of all recognition. Take for instance, the Mauku and Kai’aka ridings of the county, which only a short time ago were covered with forest or scrub and over-run with rabbits. The land was opened up for selection, was rapidly settled on, and was transformed from its barren state into magnificent agricultural and pastoral areas. This Was the result of influential' men settling on the land and knocking it into respectable shape. While these pioneers were hard at work, the local authorities and the Government const) ucted roads, bridges and a railway, which added enormously to the values of the holdings. In the Mauku riding the chief industry is dairying which is among the three largest industries of New Zealand. Almost everyone is aware of the magnificent progress made in this department in the Dominion during the last few years. The old time half-bred herds have been eliminated and replenished with the finest s strains of the dairy cow that could be obtained:' Vast improvements to the farms, at considerable expense (due no doubt to antique methods), has taken place even for the last 12 months and the time has arrived when the farmers require and must have, the most modern facilities. For some considerable time past the residents of this progressive riding have agitated for'some kind of an electric scheme, .so they coujd avail themselves of a comfort, not now a luxury, to be .found in thousands of homes in this vapidly developing country, as well as throughout a number of farming districts. We understand that efforts have been made to harness waterfalls in the vicinity of Patumahoe, but so fai nothing, that we are aware of, of a concrete nature/ has been promulgated, to serve the demands for electricity of the. Mauku' residents. That the people want it and badly indeed, is verified by their actions of ,a few weeks .ago when they requested the Franklin County Council to provide a comprehensive scheme for supplying electric energy for the county and that failing the Council promulgating such a scheme, that they. the. Council, defer granting- rights to the Waiuku syndicate to operate in the Mauku and Pukekohe West ridings for a period of twelve months to enable the people to take some action ii. providing a scheme of their own.

Further evidence was contained in

the following letter written by Mr H. E. R. L. Wily, of the Falls, Mauku, to the Pukekohe Borough Council at Monday'is meeting:—"lt has no doubt come to the knowledge of your Council that the Franklin County proposes to hand over to a propi ietarv company at Waiuku the monopoly of the supply of electric current for the western half of • the county.. This procedure is . strongly resented by the ratepayers of the Mauku riding, who naturally deem it improper that so important a franchise should bo handed over to any private concern against their wishes. As the result of a public meeting at

Mauku l attended the meeting of the Franklin County Council and asked that the Mauku riding should be excluded from the proposed area for one year to enable the ratepayers to ins to! their own source of supply or to make arrangements for power from the Pukekohe Borough station. As, however, I got scanty encouragement to hope that the request of the Mauku riding would be acceded to, I should be glad if your Council would inform me if they would be prepared to extend their lines to Mauku and Patumahoe if satisfactory financial arrangements con'd 1 ■ made. Your Council will understand that this is merely a tentative inquiry as I have no authority to conclude a binding arrangement, but as the feeling was plainly expressed by the meeting referred to that it would be much more desirable to be linked up with Pukekohe than with Waiuku, I take it that I am not exceeding my instructions by making it.”

Cr. Patterson said that the mat-

ter was a very important one undone which should receive great consideration. The people of Mauku and Patumahoe, he understood, were not going to Waiuku for electric energy, but preferred to come to Pukekohe. It was a very important question indeed, seeing that the Council was changing its system from direct eurjent to alternating current. He moved- that the matter be referred to the % Electrical Commit!* and the engineers to deal with and submit a

prompt report to tire Council. O. Kennelly seconded and the motion was carried unanimously.