ELECTRICITY AT HOME.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4701, 21 May 1924, Page 1

ELECTRICITY AT HOME.

DOMINION IMPRESSES VISITOR. BIRTH OF THE TRANSFORMER. While rapid strides are being made in the. Dominion with the installation of electricity, the average New Zealanded must sometimes wonder—offhandedly, perhaps—what is happening in the Mother Country with the harnessing of electrical energy, and to what stage it has progressed as an industrial factor in the British world of commerce. It was enlightenment on this question which a reporter sought when he approached Mr V. de Ferranti, who is one of the principals of a prominent British electrical firm, and is just completing a business tour of the Dominion extending over six weeks (says the Waipa Post). THE FIRST TRANSFORMERS. Although diffident about accepting ku.’os for the family circle, Mr Ferranti admitted that it was his father to whom fell the honour of designing and erecting the first central powc station to use high voltage and alternating current, and breaking the current down by means of transformers. It was in 1888 that Dr. Ferranti invented the transformer, which is now being used by every power board in the Dominion. In London to-day there are still 12 mile,s of underground cable whicn were laid thirty years ago, this being all in 20ft lengths, as in the days when the cable was made by Dr. Ferranti, the facilities for making it in long lengths were not available. The current is taken through this cable through Trafalgar Square and supplies light to Piccadilly Circus. At the time ■when this 10,000-volt cable was installed the great Edison himself proclaimed that the voltage was too high to be of practical benefit, and, indeed, it was in that period considered enormous. The world's highest transmitting voltage has since that epoch-making event been raised to 220 000 volts. DOMINION’S THOROUGH METHODS. Mr de Farranti went on to refer to his visit tp New Zealand, and stated that his object was to gain a knowledge of the extensive hydro-electrical development which .they in England knew was taking place here. '•Commencing at Auckland,” lie said, “I visited most of the power schemes, including Mangahao, Arapuui, Coleridge, and Monowai, and went over the distribution systems. The chief thing with which I was impressed was the way you in New Zealand a ,- e carrying the electrical current out into the country. We in England are vitally interested as to whether this rural, electrification will be a commercial success, for at Home only the towns are properly electrified, and the villages and countryside are left untouched. There, the average min seldom sees a dairy farm and a 'milking plant at all, much less an electric motor as the driving force. THE BRITISH WAY. ''England is not divided, like tills country, into power, board districts, with boards holding licenses over the whole area, but most of the towns are supplied with light and power by municipal, plants, usually run by corporation. These plants take the cre tin, of the business and leave little to go-upon for a country load. “Of course, .electricity is used extensively in industry, but it i,s only manufactured in such a way that : t can be used -in large quantities and every, uijit .is used.” Mr de Ferranti continued that the Home Government was gradually bringing the electrical system in Britain to a system like that in the Dominion, and several commissioners ha l been appointed. No plant was now allowed to develop without commissioners. The general restrictions imposed by the Imperial Government and the Board of Trade made the eonstraction of lines very expensive, and this prevented progress to a large extent. The majority of the plants—99 per cent, in factJwere of course steam, and England would essentially remain a coal country in the production of electricity. The advantages gained by the possession of water power resources in the hydro schemes was mentioned by Mr de Ferranti, who said this was particularly apparent in New Zealand. He compared the difficulties experienced in harnessing Niagara Falls by diverting the water for fifteen miles, with the natural head-race provided by beds of old rivers which appeared to be conveniently placed in this country, so that a very small diversion would gain a wonderful natural waterway. Mr de Ferranti passed an appreciative remark about the speed with which Mr W. A. Waters, engineer to the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board, had erected the transmission lines. The people should realise that it was wonderfully quick work. Tn conclusion, Mr de Ferranti said that he had received much enlightenment in regard to the progress of electricity in New Zealand and was very appreciative of the hospitable way lie had been treated throughout his trip.