COMING EVENTS. The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1926

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1926, Page 2

COMING EVENTS.

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1926

.March 1.- Princess Theatre, Everybody's Picture*. .March o. —Concert and ball, Kanicri Alanh Princess Theatre, Everybody’s Pictures. March !h-- West land County Council, monthly meeting. March ih—Tenders close, County Council. March 10.—Supremo Court Session opens. March 10.—Tvoiterailgi public picnic. March 10.—At 1 p.m. stock sale, Hold Head, W. Jo dries and Co. March 17.—Railway Excursion to Dunedin. March 25.—Sitting of Alining Assessment Court. March GO—Nominations. AVestland Racing Club’s Autumn meeting. April -I.—Easter Sunday. April s—Handicaps, Hokitika races. April G—Acceptances Hokitika races. April 7—Westland Racing Club’s Autumn Meeting.

AN IMPORTANT SC HOIK. An important scheme to supply electric power to the northern part, of Westland County was put before the Westlaud Power Board by .Mr J. S. Langford, of Christchurch, on Tuesday evening. Mr Langford indicated that he represented principals who would form a Company with a minimum capital of .CdOjOOO for the purpose of supplying power and light, for the ICumara. Ooldshorongh, Stafford and Aralntra districts. The scheme is a water power one to be developed within the neighbourhood of Stafford. It. is intended primarily for mining ventures, hut more than double the power required for that purpose will be developed, and the surplus power will be for sal.? for lighting and industrial power purposes. The scheme is an attractive one for it affords a, ready ami direct method of establishing a power scheme in the district, it will serve a district fairly well centralised, and will meet the requirements of the locality for some time to come. Electric power is the popular power of the tig?, and many districts in Xew Zealand are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds to be in the fashion. In this case it is not necessary for the district to burden itself with the capital cost of establishing the power supply. .Private enterprise will do all that, and under a. proper agreement with the Power Board there can bo no over-charge. Indeed it will be in lit? interests of the Company to caller for consumers’ wants as cheaply as posable so as to ensure as large and permanent a load as possible. On the fate of it the scheme seems most acceptable. It will be for the Power Board in its agreement with the Company to be formed, to .safeguard the interests of the district in every way. There is a good deal more known about electrical supply now than there was half a decade ago. and the Board has profited by its inaction in the interim. It has not promoted a scheme which would burden the rnteoaycrs in any way. but by waiting, some one lias come along, expert in the business, to cant it out on the latest engineering lines. A good and efficient service will no doubt be installed. It will bo the duty of tl«? Board to .see that it is so, not by taking matters for granted. but under expert advise and expert

inspection see that projier agreements nn? drawn and executed. As to the .subsequent purchase of the plant and reticulation service, that could be included in n clans? with proper restrictions ns to equitable rights between the two parties. 'Hie project marks an important epoch in the prospects of the districts. It shows that outsiders are alive to the potentialities of the place. Our Christchurch friends are evidently very friendly disposed towards ns. and see an opening which lo.al 'lens have failed to recognise. An expenditure of the amount indicated is no light undertaking, and when .' outsiders venture to take up a matter of such magnitude in tb? spontaneous wnv ns is being done in this instance,

there is the occasion to rejoice that a new era is opening for the district. The venture by our Christchurch friends must give a fillip all round to the general interests of the district. It is a move which indicates that tho day of Westland is far from waning, and with courage and confidence amongst ourselves the district must continue to steadily advance.