MANGAHAO POWER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2455, 18 July 1922, Page 4

MANGAHAO POWER.

WILL THE BOARDS BE READY? Will the power boards be '■ ready to take the power when the Mangahao works are completed, and if certain boards are not ready, will extra power be allocated to the boards that are? These questions were put to the Minister of Public Works' on Friday by Mr G. Mitchell (Wellington South), and were the .subject of a statement by Mr Coates. •/

The Minister said he anticipated 1 hat the Mangahao works would he completed, according to programme, by the end of 1923. He doubted whether any power boards would be ready right up to time, but that consideration was not having any effect on the programme at Mangahao, Some of the boards were well under way. The Wairarapa Board (mentioned by a member who interjected)) was going ahead, but it l ad yet to get its reticulation plant, sub-stations and everything else ; ready, and that was a big undertaking. to perform in the space of some eighteen months. However, he did not wish to rush matters, because prices were easing, and it v.oujd be inadvisable to rush in at the peak. ’lf some boards were ready and 6thers within a reasonable time were not ready, the power woujd have to be given to the boards that were ready. Power could not be allowed ,to lie idle, because the whole of New Zealand would be paying for it. If there was much delay on the part of boards, the allocations already made would have to hp reviewed.

Mfr Mitchell asked whether all the boards were formed. The Minister replied that not all were.,/but that in each district th« preliminary steps at least for the formation of boards ba<jl been taken.