HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEMES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9852, 3 November 1924, Page 3

HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEMES

WHY AVAIKAREMOANA WAS

DELAYED.

POWER TO WELLINGTON WOULD SUFFER LOSS.

WELLINGTON, Oct. 31. In regard to hydro-electric power, Mr Coates was very emphatic m the House to-mght that the schemes heing developed in the North Island would prove highly satisfactory. All the engineers, except one at Napier, were of opinion that Wailcarmoana was a necessary adjunct to Mangalino and Arapuni. The estimate for Mangahao was about £600,000', and its cost would be, roughly, about £1,000,000, because the cost of both labor and material s had gone up since the estimate had heeu made. As to not going on with Waikaremcana first, they oou.d take it that they were very lucky that they had not gore on with it. All the engineers agreed on that point, because the loss in carrying the power to Wellington would ho 25 per cent. ; only 75 per cent of it would arrive at Wellington. Mangahao was a necessary adjunct to the whole system. He expressed the definite opinion that no mistakes had been made in connection with our electrical development. He was absolutely confident of that and that it would, be one of the best things that »-had ..everbeen started in New Zealand. ft was a work that they would be proud of, both in regard to the inethod and the scheme adopted.—Spl.