Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1921. HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1921, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1921. HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Thk recent visit of Mr Lawrence Bilks, the Government Chief Electrical Engineer, lias stimulated interest in hy-dro-electric development. The development is in the forefront of the New Zealand public works policy, and the demand for electrical power is now so great that it is realised the Government cannot overtake the requirements fast enough, and so in all parts of the Dominion, Electric-Power Boards are being set up to co-operate with the Government in carrying on district or provincial . schemes. Canterbury has its major scheme, founded on Lake Coleridge, an enterprise duo entirely to the progressive policy of the Liberal Govctrnmont of the day. Otago has its scheme, and so on right through both Islands, scheme arc being devised a fid fashioned to meet the needs of the times. New Zealand is richly endowed with possible hydro-electric propositions. Its mountain streams and elevated lakes are physical features which lend themselves to the creation of the motive power, which harnessed, works remarkable transformations. Our own Westland is now less fortunate than the rest of New Zealand in its great hydro-electric possessions lavishly provided by nature. We have our major and our minor schemes iinmediatuly at band. In the former category may rank Toaroha and Lake Kanieri. In the latter is Kumara water race. Toarolia in itself, is capable if handling practically the whole AVest Coast area from Bnrrytown to Okarito and in the course of time would serve the Otira tunnel in between. Lake Kanieri is more limited, but fully equal to the "requirements of an area larger than that of the Westland Power district which ranges from Teremakau to Mikonui. The Kumara source would serve very amply the electric needs of the Power district and the interior boroughs, with something to spare for requirements fivrthor north. Having these alternative sources of power, the. next question is that of funds for development. It is assumed that where power is developed economically there is at once the demand for it in all populated centres and on this assumption some basis may bo estimated of the volume of power required. It is interesting to note that eighty horse power suffices for the town of Reefton, and one hundred and fifty for the borough of Oamaru. Something in the region of two hundred horse power appears to be adequate for many of the small towns in the North Island. At

the outset, therefore, we may think' rather in hundreds than thousands of horse power to mdet requirements- A small scheme has advantages in regn/rd to initial cost and in the celerity with which it might be brought into use. On the other hand, the reticulation cost for a major or minor scheme would not vary greatly. I lie only difference O'ing the greater or lesser distance served. Lake Coleridge scheme began from small dimensions, and oven now it is only eight thousand 1 o>rse capacity. It is to bo increased to twelve thou And horse power, and ultimately, is to go to fifty eight thousand capacity. Tn its growth its development is facilitated by having electric power available to facilitate the operative works. In the Westland area there are some thirty odd working sawmills, and many of these will use electric power for at least some part of the work abojit the mills or bush. At-the moment tlieire is not a demand for electric-power for mining outside of South Hokitika, but the enterprise there promises to create a new era of gold-dredging, and in that revival electric powor will play its part. There is likely to he a market for electricity along the Ofina lino and through the tunnel, but this will be a later consideration. The more immediate consumers will be the towns and townships, and the farming commimities. The experience everywhere shows the uses and utilities of electricity for domestic requirements, and its application for industrial expansion. For these purposes the supply will be readily availed of, and the initial scheme locally will be based in the main on this class ' of business. The matter is reaching that stage now when the Power Board will require to look for a power scheme which would yield it a

thousand or more horsepower as an initial undertaking, and on these lines must now seek engineering advice as to a location, and there work out the cost of a district service to reach possible consumers. It is unfortunate that tlio whole business of supply for Hokitika is not free for a public service

such as a Power Board might supply. As the chief centre, Hokitika should be the staple customer, and the central pivot of electrical development. By not so co-operating the town might miss a golden opportunity to galvanise itself into a more important centre than it will be otherwise. In the town there would be the more potential group of consumers to begin with, and their loss might jeopardise, if not suspend, the whole scheme. ’The townspeople might well review their attitude in regard to the present exclusion from the constituted Power district, and by joining forces with the County area create a district of greater substance and one more capable of seeing in the immediate future the place well supplied with an electrical service of benefit and credit to the place and the enterprise of its citizens. So much has now been said in preliminary discussion of hy-dro-electricity that if Js time for those charged with the launching of* the project here to set about a definite, scheme or schemes. With the different projects focussed ns they have been lately engineers’ reports should now be sought ns to* their economic possibilities, and the information could then be rut before the people for final decision. A '•ommJencement must be made somewhere, and with the experience on the subject now it need not be begun in the dark. Tt is possible with the knowledge obtained by the engineers of the working of electric supply in New Zealand, to prepare a. sound financial proposition for the consideration of the ratepayers, and it is in that direction local action should now be taken so as

to finally determine decision in a matter destined to do the whole district present and prospective great service.