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Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1920, Page 2

'The Minister of Public Works is announcing the formation of a branch of the Pubiic Works Department for hy-dro-electric development, said thi,branch would devote itself solely to the construction work of .■ hydro-electric schemes the handworks, tunnels, dams and so forth. The generation and engineering parts of tlie schemes would be in the hands of another branch, containing electrical and lmoclianicul engineers, as a start, the construction branch was being drawn from tlie Public Works Department. A beginning has beeu made with tlie scheme as Mangahao. He proposed that the sale of current and so forth, after the construction work was complete, should b, bandied by business men. Thi Government must see that this end of the enterprise was handled in a sound way. The sale of current was purely a commercial undertaking and ought to be in the hands of business men. Mr Parry, the late Chief Electrical Engineer, and Mr Birks, his successor were Ixitb if this opinion. The construction branch must necessarily remain under tlie direct control of the Government whi.-lt

was responsible for the policy to be followed in -hydro-electric development. Tlie Minister remarked that the Lake Coleridge scheme had been developed on too small a scale. Provision should have been made for the development of 50,000 liorse-power instead of 16,000 horse-power. Arrangements were being made for the utilisation of the present power-house to its full capacity of 16,000 horse-power, and then an additional power-house would be required. He was trying to set out objectives—points to which the Department could work in fixed periods of one year, two years and so on. He wanted to lay down schemes of wor e for the various periods, with attention given to the supply of 1 materials and labour, the completion of contracts, and so forth. Contracts were apt Hi be delayed under present conditions A definite working arrangement, on which the plans of tlie construction branch could he based, would assist progress.