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Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1930, Page 4

The Government has its load of trouble with ‘.the hydro-electric schemes. The alarm in connection with Arapuni is suppressed in the meantime, but it is very present in the case of Lake Coleridge. The position in regard to Arapuni is still very indefinite. There was the suggestion when the expert’s investigations had reached a certain stage, that all was well, but the Minister promptly negatived that view, though he did not explain exactly what was the true, position. The fate of Arapuni is therefore still under a cloud, though .there are hopes that the situation will be retrieved. Meantime’a great loss is involved in the suspension of operations, while much cost must Ibe involved in the work which is going on, and probably greater works to be performed when the expert’s recommendations are given effect to. The other two main North island schemes are also not in too happy a position, and doubts have beeii thrown on their efficiency in relation to the cost. involved, A report is ceftairily desirable 6ii‘ this petition aisO, feir the public ttitfld must he very much perturbed by the succession of comparative failures in view for the very costly '.schemes undertaken, Regarding Coleridge, the position is that the .source of power has been overloaded., The scheme has been given too much to do, and with the dry spell of weather nature is not supplying; adequate water to meet the heavy demand for the wide field the system has been called on to supply. Some one lias blundered in authorising too great a load and in undertaking too' much country for the reticulation service. Now great expense is being undertaken m the endeavour to retrieve the position, and, revenue is being lost wholesale, by the curtailment of the use of the power. It is not a happy situation, and those controlling the destinies of hydro-electric schemes in New Zealand, have no occasion to be proud of the administrative results. To recover the position, costly stand-by plants are to be installed, and Chiistchuivh City i;s to be given leave to install its own scheme. Ultimately the position will be met, but only at an 'enormous public expenditure. 'Hie position, however, cannot right itself for an extended period, and it will be two years or more before the Waitaki scheme may be linked up. £o much for national enterprise in this matter. The experience for the taxpayer is going to be a costly one, while for the user of the power, private concerns are being put to great expense and unnecesasry loss, by the dislocation of the supply service. Altogether the national control of the schemes undertaken is such as to suggest that the Government might well leave these l and allied matters to private enterprise in the future.