Hydro Link For Buller Desired

Grey River Argus, 2 April 1948, Page 8

Hydro Link For Buller Desired

Messrs C. E. Austin (chairman of Buller Power Board) and J. Kilkenny put to Hon. C. F. Skinner the case for having Buller connected up with the South Island State hydro electrical supoly when the Minister received deputations in Westport this week. They stated Buller Power’ Board had been 26 years in existence, but had not yet really functioned, although it was now endeavouring to obtain power enough for the district. The Government’s main transmission line extended now to Tkamatua, but the Board, while understanding that the route to give Buller district bulk supply has not been finally surveyed, the length of line to be built from Ikamatua to Waimangaroa (the latter being the proposed site of the Government sub-station in the Buller area) is approximately 49 miles. In reply, Mr Skinner said: “I have never needed any convincing that cheap and plentiful electric power is needed in this district, and no one has worked harder for its introduction than I have”. He- did not think it necessary to send the people of Westport copies of all of the letters and reports which he had handled in connection with his dealings with the Hydro Electric Department. He recalled his efforts to get power in bulk to the Coast portion of his previous electorate. It might not have gone as far as it had only for his persuasion. ‘‘The people of the Buller district should realise that no one is making a more genuine effort to get them cheappporerw r er than their Member”, he added. The Buller had had electric power before many other places in the Dominion, and because of that, he felt, there might have been some tendency to delay the major link up while other places were being given power for the first time. He was not conscious that the Buller was neglected. The introduction of the stand-by plant at Hector would help a lot. Mr F. Cbnnew, a member , of the Board, said it did not seem right <hat the district should suffer because of the foresight of a few people in introducing a small power scheme some years ago. "It now seems that Buller is last on the list for the big link-up”, he added. Mr Skinner: “You arp net last on the list. Keep your feet on the ground. I have argued for hours to get something definite about the power supply for this district, and am a little annoyed at the criticism levelled at me”. , . , , Mr J. Kilkenny admitted respon-

sibility for some of the criticism. After a recent visit to Nelson and Marl- | borough districts he had returned to (Westport to see it as it had always i been. Mr Skinner: “You must have had 1 your eyes shut”. Mr Kilkenny: “Apart from our good streets and the Town Hall, which were paid for direct by the residents, i I could not see where any progress had been made”. Mr Skinner: “What about the State houses?” , . , Mr Kilkenny: “As many private houses are being built as those by the State. I have been in Westport for many years, and the only worthwhile job that I have seen is the Buller ’ Gorge railway, pushed ahead by Bob Semple and Paddy Webb. Now things are deteriorating, especially on the waterfront, where wharves are rotting and the harbour gradually closing”. He said the district was not getting the same service from Mr Skinner as from Mr Webb, but he felt that the present member might not be so well placed, because of his portfolios. Mr Skinner: “There are mines m other places than this, and I told the ■ people at my very first meeting that, 1 while Mr Webb could not always be I in the Buller, that did not mean that he was not working for the district. I That could also apply to myself”. Hon. W. H. Mclntyre suggested that the pin-pricking be dropped and j that old matters be forgotten. Mr Connew: “We are not pinpricking. They say that a squeaky I wheel makes the most ana whether we are dealing with Cabinet Ministers or ordinary members, that squeak may be heard a lot from time to time”. Mr Skinner agreed to take up proposals made by the Board with the Hydro Electric Department and the. Mines Department.