ELECTRIC POWER.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1923, Page 4

ELECTRIC POWER.

CURRENT FOR ASHBURTON. ASHBURTON. April 6. Judging from the remarks of the chairman of the Ashburton 1 lydro-clec-trie Power Board (Mr I. \\ . Mott), when interviewed to-day, the board is exercising the gieatest caution in satisfying itself that the proposed scheme lor developing power by harnessing the north gorge of the Ashburton River is in every way sound. The heard, accompanied by the engineers, was recently over the site, amt to-day Mr Phil Norman commenced boring operations in mder to discover whether the river-lied at the site of the proposed dam is reek-hound.

‘■Cutler the Lake Coleridge scheme." stated -Mr Watt, “the Government has allotted 250 k.w. for Ashburton, and 100 k.w. for Motliven, and also 250 k.w. for Fairfield Freezing M'oF-s, d the hoard undertakes to sir ply them. While it is quite prssihle the Foard will be able to draw oil the l-ake Coleridge scheme to a greater extent under normal conditions, it is equally certain that if any accident occurs to that supply the first tiling the Public Works Department would do would be io i di or the Ashburton Board to cut down its demand as regards the figures mentioned. It might thus happen that the supply that would actually be ir.ad,,ble I'l'.m Coleridge would not lie stiflicieiu to meet, the demand ef the hoard's consumers. Ihereiore, it i~ with a view to getting, in the first place, an independent supply, and. in i lie second l hu e. a supply at a eke T" 1 ' raf". that the hoard has undertaken tiiese investigations. The investigations so far carried out go to show Hut the generating capacity ef the river will, except l'i r two mouths of the year l,e sufficient In generate elect nelly beyond. the proposed supply which the Public Works Department lias earmarked lor the hoard. ‘■The harnessing of the north branch of the river is in the hands oi the engineers.” stated Mr Matt. “and until bming operations show wl.el ler the river-bed at the site of the dam p, nick-bound, no reliable report can lie furnished to the bunts!. The engineers are not reporting until they have obtained all data that is necessary to enable them to prepare a final ami I'OlH'losive teport. The '"in .(I will lid entertain the question "I baine-suig tlie river until it lias been ennelusiveJv shown that it is a good Lii-uio."