HORAHORA HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME.

Matamata Record, Volume III, Issue 118, 6 February 1919, Page 3

HORAHORA HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME.

Te Awamutu Moving. How this District is Affected. Recently a member of the Thames Valley Sub-provincial Farmers' Union executive stressed the point that there was a danger of the Thames Valley being cut out of the Horahora hydroelectric scheme. There appears this risk unless the Thames Valley takes an active interest and participation in the scheme. Such is obvious from the report of a meeting at Te Awamutu of the committee set up by the local bodies of that district to bring about the constitution of a Power Board with its centre at To Awamutu. The following summary of the meeting is excised from the report appearing in the Waipa "Post":"Mr F. W. Stewart, a member of the provisional committee, had waited on the Minister for Public Works and Mr Parry, chief electrical engineer. By telegram Mr Stewart reported having interviewed both the Minister .and Mr Parry, chief electrical engineer. Both were sympathetic to the proposals, and the Minister is obtaining a special report relating to Horahora as affecting Cambridge, Hamilton, Ohaupo, Otorohanga, Te Awamutu and Te Kuiti, and his recommendation to Cabinet will be based on this report." If the recommendation suggested here were given effect to Matamata, Morrinsville, Te Aroha and the Thames Valley would be cut out of the scheme. " So far as could be gathered," the telegram proceeds: "Mr Parry, strongly favours immediate purchase of Horahora by the Government, and the prospects may be regarded as good provided the district loses no time in completing its organisation." " In a subsequent telegram Mr Stewart reported a great deal of detail information, following a further interview with the engineers, as to the cost of reticulation. It could not yet be definitely ascertained whether an engineer's report must be had before the district is constituted, but if such were necessary, the State would find or recommend an engineer to prepare the initial scheme of reticulation. Mr Parry had suggested to him a league rather than a board at the present stage, working under the system obtaining in Canterbury befoie the passing of the recent legislation. The Government, in that case, woujd install the main wires and 'ircll current to the local bodies, the work to be started within six months of purchase of Horahora,, and completed in say two years. Regulations, under the Act, for the constitution of Power boards are now in the printer's hands, and will be shortly announced." A league would appear to defeat one of the aims of the recent conference, inasmuch as it was practically agreed that Horahora was not to be accepted as the final objective. It was pointed out that if the Government took Horahora there was a big danger that it would detrimentally affect by delay the prospects- of a bigger scheme. Therefore it was suggested that the Power Board acquire Horahora. The meeting strongly opposed the idea of one big board, and the following resolution was passed : " That in the opinion of this committee the Government should not part with its-rights at Horahora, and that it is not considered advisable to constitute, one large board as is suggested by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce." In the discussion on this matter it was urged that the committee proceed with its work of constituting a separate district. The danger through the establishment of small boards is apparent. Unless the Government took the control of the production and sale of the current there would bound, to be squabbling. It was to avoid this that the one Power board was suggested. In the meantime there is one thing for the Morrinsville, Matamata and Thames Valley district to do —"get busy." Conference at Hamilton. On Tuesday evening a conference of representatives of public bodies of Hamilton, Cambridge, Morrinsville, Te Aroha, Te Awamutu, and Taumaranui was held at Hamilton to discuss the question of hydro-electric power for the district. Mr W. F. Mason presided. Mr S. J. Harbutt, president of Auckland hydro-electric power league, was present and explainthe attitude of the league. This was not one of antagonism to the Waikato or to the Horahora scheme. Auckland was quite prepared to support the Horahora

proposals, provided it was not the ultimate object. Taranaki and Palmorston were in favor of tho ulitisation of Arapuni, and he thought the Auckland province should work in conjunction with these districts. Ho regarded a Horahora Powor Board as quite a practicable scheme, but urged that it should be carried through as far as possible without Government assistance. This would strengthen the claim on the Goverment for the bigger scheme, and tho more successful Horahora proved the more insistent would bo the demand for Arapuni. Mr Roche, of Cambridge, who reported on the Horahora rapids fortheWaihi Coy, gave some interesting and useful information in his speech. The Waikato required power immediately and that was why tho acquisition of Horahora was urged. At Horahora there was a plant capable of developing 9000 h.p. which left 4500 available for the district, after supplying the Waihi Coy. Another 3000 h.p. could be obtained by the installation of more machines and without any expenditure on the head works. Extension of the water power could produce another 3000 h.p. The chief expense of a hydroolectricscheme was the interest on the capital. Unused plant meant unused capital on which interest must be paid. One great advantage of Horahora rested in tho fact that the plant could be added to as required, hence there should be no capital utilised which was not revenue producing. If the Government was asked to take up the Horahora proposal it would block the bigger scheme, and for this reason he advocated the establishment of a power hoard to take over the works. In 1917 tho Lake Coleridge scheme supplied 5000 h.p. If the Horahora works were taken over local residents could bo supplied with power as soon as the lines were erected. There was considerable further discussion, the meeting being very unanimous in favor of pushing on with the scheme. A meeting is to be held in Hamilton on February 12th and a committee was appointed to draw up an aggenda paper.