MANGAHAO ELECTRIC SCHEME.

Otaki Mail, 14 February 1919, Page 2

MANGAHAO ELECTRIC SCHEME.

COMPLETION OF SCHEME t, INDEFINITE, / Air AY. H. Field, member for the district, has been approached with respect to the Maugahao clcctrie'Scheme. with aa endeavour to ascertain when the scheme is likely to be completed. Air Field lias corresponded with the Minister for Public Works, and has received a reply. Seeing the great public interest in the question, we publish below the correspondence;—

Wellington, Jau. 31, 1919. The Hon. (lie Minister of Public i Works, Wellington, » Dear Sir, — Rc Mangahao Electric Power Scheme. Tho people.in the Alauawatu district arc enquiring almost daily when the Government propose to proceed with the undertaking and how Jong it will be before power is available. Two towns between here and Palmerston North, namely, the Shannon Borough and the Otaki Town Board, are in urgcnt'nced of electric light, and the last-named body has in contemplation an' expenditure of a large sum to instal light apart altogether from tho Mangahao proposals because of the uncertainty as to when power from Alangnhao will be available. * It seems a pity that they should do this if they can look for the power in the comparatively near future. I shall be glad if you could furnish me with some definite information which would assist the two bodies in question in determining what action they should take, and which would at the same time give, dairy, tlaxmill and other companies. ns well ns private individuals, some idea when they could expect the long-looked-for power. Yours faithfully, (Sgd.) AY. if. FIELD.

Office of Minister of Public .Works, AVelliugton, Ist February, 1919. \ AY. H. Field, Esq., M.P., ‘ , 'Wellington. Dear Sir, —X am in. receipt of your letter of the 3Jst January. You will realise that it is quite impossible for me to state when power will be available from the Alangahao power scheme. This is a matter which will depend very, largely upon what supply of labour will be forthcoming; moreover, Parliament has only authorised me to do preliminary and experimental work on the Wellington and Auckland ■ schemes. I have given instructions to put in hand at once tlio formation of the road up to where the works will bo situated, but fear it will be somewhat difficult io get a gang of suitable men ‘ for this work. People seem to imagine that because the war is over and dc-nwl-ib'sation is taking p’ace then oro there is an abundance of labour available. Out of all the thousands that; have returned I have barely secured one hundred. It is evident that such of our soldiers who have returned so far who are lit for physical work have been absorbed in tho primary industries, such as farming, shearing and harvesting, all of which are very late this season. I hope, however, this state- of things will soon change when the main Body comes back; but cveu so I do not expect, to be rushed with applications for employment. I will lose no opportunity, however, of pushing this work on as soon as it is possible to do so. , Yours faithfully, - (Sgd.) \V, FRASER. Minister of Public AVorks.