MANGAHAO HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1946, 1 March 1919, Page 2

MANGAHAO HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME.

THE MINISTER’S VIEWS

The Hon. Sir W. Fraser was Uivk,.' guest of the Mangahao Hydro-El-ectric League, at a smoke com-c-T at Shannon last night. Speaking reply to the. toast of the Minister*" for Public Works, the Minister said the starting of the scheme was worthy of the gathering. He had the national scheme, of which the Mangahao was part, at heart. It was impossible to estimate the magnitude of hydro-electricity, and the benefits which would accrue to rural populations. Population of the Dominion should be trebled, and hydro-electricity was going to play an important part in the settlement of the country. It was the duty of anv government who wished to govern this country properly to assist in Ibis matter. He had the scheme at heart, and the Government was anxious to go on with n. Parliament had sanctioned Cl KMHIO, for initiatory work. First proper road access to the sites must be provided, ■m every care taken to see that the foundations to carry the dams were provided. Labour was scarce at present, and finance to earry out the scheme must be put on a proper basis. There must not be any frittering away money on capital cost which would increase the cost of power to tiie consumer and he a burden on the people. He referred to (ho Coleridge scheme, which, although a success from every point of view, was not complete owing to (he war and increased cost of materials. It would he unwise to any price for materials. This scheme haul no right to be the plaything of politics. There wa> a.Lo a scarcity of labour, and- the Minister showed that public works had been held up owing to this dilliculty. The department, were short of 3,000 men for necessary works. If the Government offered men Cl a day it would he taking them from other

important industries, and the industries of the country had no right lo he interfered with. It was not (he function of the Government to compete for labour with private indm-t tries. Many of the men relurnimw would not he lit to take work with the Department, and a large proportion would he absorbed in private industries. Of all who had returned he did not think the Department; had 50. Specially ipmlilied men would he required for the Avork, and the rock men would he paid higher wages than ordinary navvies. He was opposed lo contract work, and instanced the Olira tunnel, etc. The. work to lie done here must he closely supervised, and the control kept in their own hands. Assisted innui-

{.'ration id' the right class of men was essential. Thier views on hydro-electric scheme w;as fTfll views, and he was as keen and as anxious as they were to pu-h it forward. (Applause).

A START TO BF MADE, Speaking at Palmerston Norlh Thursday, Air Parry, the Government electrical expert, said the Government is about to start preliminary works at Mangahao for the supply of electricity. The tunnelling and headwurks would lie proceeded with as soon-as labour was available. There was a peculiar feature about the Mangahao river, which enabled the Department to utilise its power. “It doubles back on itself,’’ said Mr Parry, "and after traversing 05 miles of country, we find it separated by only 7J miles." It was also important to note that the river did not erode itself at a very fast rate, proving that it carried very little shingle. For that reason it lent itself to easy treatment. It was proposed to erect a dam, which would cause a big lake, and (lieu tunnel from the valley of him Mangahao through to the valley of (he Tokomaru, where another dam or reservoir would he formed. A second tunnel would then he necessary to carry the wafer to the surge chamber nearer Shannon, fhe water would (hen In l earned by pipe lines to a point 2] miles from Shannon—(he site of the power station (he total drop being !)()() feet.The Mangahao river, as they found Sy it to-day, was not of sufficient capacity to provide 25,000 horse-power in all seasons, but to overcome that the dam first mentioned would lie built higher than was really necessary, until the storage capacity reached 84 million cubic feet of water. But, further than that, a third dam, with a capacity of lOfi million cubic feet, would be constructed. il was a great pity that 50,000 horse-power could not be developed at Mangahao, but they had to he content with what nature had provided, and utilise il to the fullest extent. “We are going to do that,' 7 said Air Parry, “find 1 can say positively that there will be ample power from Mangahao for the whole distiict lor many years (o come. Xobody within a hundred miles radius of Mangahao need he afraid that they would not receive a supply.