ELECTRIC POWER.

Otaki Mail, Volume 27, 26 November 1919, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER.

MOEB "PUSH" WANTED. Mr E. H. Crabb, chairman of the Vigilance Committee appointed by the Mangahao Hydro - Electric Power League, reported to the Palmerston North Chamber ot* Commerce last Monday evening that the work was going on satisfactorily though slowly to the ideas of some of them. The methods employed were too "red tapy." to tell the truth. Three or four months ago the .Department had called tenders for timber, but as those received had been too high, they had undertaken io do the work themselves. The sawmilling machinery had just been .tendered for. This sort of thing did not lead to efficiency'or speed in the carrying out of the works. Mr Crabb went en to ex-, plain that questions had been prepared to place before the political candidates in all the districts affected, which were sure to be answered 5n the affirmative. Mr Crabb advocated the adoption of a different system of work than that in vogue with the Public Works Department. Under the present arrangement it would not be finished for years. It should be urged that this was such a big thing in the life of the people that it should be placed under a separate department altogether. The contracts were let and the machinery was on the way for the necessary electric power to drive the tunnels. The speaker also referred to the dissatisfaction amongst the men on the works owing to the Minister laving down that the work should be done at 12s per day. Some of the men had left and others replaced them, arid the staff was now up to its full strength. All the money had been vcted and the work authorised for the North Island, so that no delay would occur on that score. All that remained now was to keep on pushing. The engineers and outside experts all considered that given the necessary labour the -work could be put through in three years.