HYDRO ELECTRICAL WORKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1920, Page 4

HYDRO ELECTRICAL WORKS.

LOCAL BODIES CONFER

The local bodies conference, during its sitting ypsterdy afternoon, discussed matters affecting hydro-electric works for the district.

Mr Perry (Chairman) stated Mr J. S. Langford, had prepared a paper at short notice on the subject, and he asked Mr Langford to read same. Mr Langford said—Mr Chairman and Gentlemen, —I have to thank you for the honour of your invitation to bring before you a paper on the subject of Hydro-Electric, Power, a subject which is to-day of national importance and one which will have considerable if not a determining effect on the industrial and social life of New Zealand. The time at my disposal since receiving your request two days ago does not permit of treating the subject as it should be treated hence the brevity of this article. Authorities have stated in recent times that there is only sufficient coal left in New r Zealand to last 30 years. EVen with complete hydro-electric reticulation the coal consumption will increase, due to increased population and as an instance Mr Eivan Parry, late Chief Electrical Engineer to the New Zealand Government has estimated that although Lake Coleridge supply will save the Tramway Board and -Municipay Electric Lighting Department several thousand tons of coal annually the total amount of coal consumed in Christchurch null be increased 6,000 tons per annum with the present population.

You will realise therefore the national importance of conserving coal for these essential purposes by developing the water powers available in the outlying districts and thus drawing the industrial manufacturing concerns away from the centres.

Let me dispel two popular notions regarding Hydro-Electricity. The first is that any stream of water can be utilized as a source of hydro-electric power. As a matter of fact a very small per ventage of streams can be utilized successfully, and more particularly does this apply on the West Coast where your rivers are of very uneven flow and provide few natural features for storage purposes. There is however power available to meet all requirements, but careful selection is necessary, 'flie second is that the whole of the railways of the country should be electrified. Owing to the capital cost involved the railways of this country could he operated more economicaly by the modern steam locomotive even at twice the present intensity of traffic than if electrified. Certain sections if electrified such as the spiral in North Island Main trunk and Otira tunnel will increase the capacity of the whole system to which they are attached, many times, but save your coal for the rauk and file of railway work for as long as it can last. U.S.A. has less than 10%

jhydro-electrically; fed industrial railways electrified. Communities with good railways to main ports will reach the end which every inhabitant hopes to see this country attain. 'Long distance transmission is another feature to lie avoided here and fortunately owing to the close proximity of available power this will not be necessary. ‘A short time ago your local press articles advocating large schemes and instancing Toronto, supply transmitted 80 miles —Toronto atmosphere is so dry that snow if taken into a warm room will disappear without passing through the visible vapour state thus indicating an extremely dry atmosphere. To overcome the difficulty of the salt atmosphere here, special insulation involving heavy expenditure would be necessary. Without reliable transmission an efficient system cannot be obtained and continuity of operation is essential to the success of an electrical undertaking. Taking therefore the requirements of this district into consideration and the natural features offering we have in the immediate vicinity an area of a radius of approximately 20 miles which is well within the limits of standard practice. In that district we have all classes of load for an electrical undertaking offering. and more particularly that load which is so valuable to an electrical undertaking the continuous mining load. At tlie same time the necessity for efficient operation of such an industry as snwmilling in the coming struggle for a solution of the economic situation will call for the use of electricity and not for the sending up in smoke of the. valuable by-product of tho industry namely sawdust and the payment of wages to send that potential commodity up in smoke. The men so employed should he utilised in operating plant to produce substitutes for imported fuel and other articles. Turning to the question of electricity for mining—the provision of power for all comers for mining purposes would involve limitless capital expenditure

and although economical methods will ,undoub:tedly produce gold from this field in greater quantities than hitherto 4he proposition must be viewed from a conservative point of view and mining operations asked to carry some of the responsibility involved in such an undertaking and which they will not hesitate to do if their intentions are conscientious.

Gold dredging cannot be carried out on the largest economical scale in all cases owing to the limited area of dredgable ground in certain localities. Taking for instance the case of a dredge having a capital of £IO,OOO. Power under steam conditions for that dredge will cost £3,500 per -annum, for 100 h.p. or £35 per h.p. per annum. Electric power could -be supplied to that dredge, for £ls per h.p. per annum being a saving 0f.£20 or total of £2,000 per h.p. per annum which on a capital of £IO,OOO, means an additional 20% towards the nett profits of that diedge and the saving of nearly 1000 tons of our precious coal annually to run a locomotive on the railway and a ship at sea.

Space and time do ' not permit of a detailed statement of the relative cost of steam and electric power under such circumstances, but such an ex ample will serve to show what is happening and what could happen. We will take the case of the farming community:

A census of ..the dairying districts in North Island N.Z. shows that the average farmer producing 8,000 to 12,OOOlbs butter fat per annum pays on an average £4O per annum for his heat light and power for the farm, £25 per annum would provide him with these esesntials and pay interest on his share of the reticultion system which supplies him and release labour for the work on the farm which caiinot be done by machinery and which is - improving the property towards that goal of intensified production of,. the soil the results of which have shown up in England during the war. So numerous are. the examples of the utility of electric light and power in town that it is. unnecessary for me to refer to the same.kero.

The ways and means of obtaining this power depend on two things, national resources and capital. The source of power calls for a reliable water supply and this in turn usually means provision of storage. A natural or artificial lake is usually sought as an equalizer between the supply of power and the demand. Scenic reserves such an you have in this district, are of the greatest benefit to the power supply business, as the heavy rainfall finds its way under protection of the bush to points of concentration before it is evaporated by the spells of drying wnds, separating the heavy rainfail periods. A natural lake at a convenient altitude saves the cost of constructing one and here Lake Knnieri, in the immediate vicinity, offers a typical example. A few figures of Lake Kan-, ieri will indicate the utility of "such a natural storage. Should no water come into the lake for a period of one month, one foot of depth, in the form | of storage, would supply 24,000 h.p., for 30 days at the rate of 14 hours per j day. sft, of storage, or equivalent to taking oft from the present level of the , Lake would produce 12,000 h.p. for 14 hours daily for 30 days. Consider that the average rainfall of 120 inches per

annum in this district will put twice this amount of water into the lake annually you will find that by varying the

level of the lake down to 2ft. lielow its present level, a 5000 h.p. scheme originates there. Consider in addition the fact that two rivers can be brought into the lake at a very small cost you have a potential scheme of almost unlimited magnitude. By turning the Harper River into Lake Coleridge, at a cost of £SOOO, the capacity of Lake Coleridge power station can be multiplied several times. This district, however, calls for a moderate start with possibilites of extension and although it will not stand a capitalisation of £1,000,000 it will stand £IOO,OOO at the end of ten years, given say in £50,000 lots at the end of each 5-yearly period. This figure will sendpporerw r er all over the district and pay interest on the outlay. These things can be undertaken without breaking new ground technically or commercially. The ways anc means of capitalisation of a power scheme are provided for in recent legislation concerning Power Boards whereby each district accepts its own responsibility and at the same time reaps the benefit of its own enterprise. A power scheme properly managed and steadily extended will only require the in teres on its capital covered by rates for the first two or three years of its existanoe. The demand is an ever increasing factor and it is not necessary that electric power slioud be sold at a charity rate liv a local body. I have to again apologise gentlemen, for the enforced brevity of this article, and to thank you for your attention. At the same time I am anxious to invite enquiries for expansion of any points not covered of which may be of interest to the members of tins confer-

ence. , . A very cordial vote of thanks was passed to Air Langford for his interesting paper. , Mr Langford was plied with a number of questions bearing on the proposa s put forward. Several points were brought out, and a very interesting discussion resulted. Ultimately it was resolved to defer further consideration till Mr Birks visi ec the district, when Lake Knnicn as a power source would be brought mic e his notice, and advice sought as to father action.

DON'T NEGLECT. A COMMON CASE OF PILES.—IT MAY LEAD TO SERIOUS RESULTS. When people generally understand that all such fatal diseases as Fistula, Ulcer of the Rectum, Fissure, etc., almost invariable begin in a simple case of Piles, they will learn the wisdom of taking prompt treatment for the first appearance of this trouble. Doan’s Ointment is unequalled for eveiy form of Piles Itching, Bleeding, Protruding or Blind Pile , and hundreds of lives have been saved by using this cheap, but effective remedy right at the start, because at such times a single pot has often effected a cure, while. in the old, deep seated, chronic cases, several pots are sometimes necessary. Here is a case:

MRS. T. COLLINS, Blaketown, Greymouth, says: —“I have proved that Doan’s Ointment is a splendid remedy for Piles, and I have pleasure in recommending it to all sufferers. For some time I suffered agony from Itching and Protruding Piles, and could get nothing to give me relief, until I had the good fortune to procure Doan’s Ointment. After a few applications of this Ointment the pain and irritation eased somewhat, and as l continued its use the improvement was maintained, and before long 1 was completely cured. It is twelve months since I used Doan’s Ointment, and I am delighted to say I have had no return of Piles during that time, so my cure is a permanent one.” Two years later, Mrs Collins, says: “My cure has proved a permanent one, without a doubt, for I have been free From Piles since Doan’s Ointment cured me three years ago.”