POWER ON THE FARM.

Shannon News, 12 July 1921, Page 1

POWER ON THE FARM.

ELECTRICITY FOR DAIRYING. HALF COST OF BENZINE. • V The’effect of a supply of electricity on the agricultural' and dairying industries of New Zealand is placed high in importance by Mr L. Birks, Chief Electrical Engineer. • In his address to the Rotary Club in Wellington Mr Birks said that the . most, urgent demand for electric, power just at present comes from the Waikato and Hauraki Plains for operating milking machines. There are 34,000 milk suppliers in-New Zealand, and the number is increasing at the rate of 10 per cent per year. Of' these 8800 used thilking machines--in 1919, practically all driven by 3h.p. petrol or kerosene engines, and this number is increasing at-the rate of IS ppr cent per year. The,2h.p. electric motor, which is sufficient for dairy farm purposes, has about one-half the first cost and less than one-half the running cosj.of the corresponding petrol or kerosene engine, is safer, steadier, and more reliable. 'The cost of electricity ranges from £2l to £3O per year, as compared with the cost' of 30 to 59 j cases 'of benzine—worth- at “the farm J a great deal more than it costs to pay l in Wellington. The advantage ;is so marked that several cases have occurred in which -the electric motor was the deciding factor in changing ,over the farm from agriculture to dairying. Southland for 'some time Ims- been losing its'rural population, who are migrating to the milder climate df. fhe North Island, continued . Mr Birks'. Their ambitious electric power scheme from Lake Monowai, with its' 17C0 miles of distribution lines io eveiv farm in the whole province, has been conceived with one main objeci—to hold the population and attract it back again by offering the conveniences, and comforts of elec-; trie power bn the farm. And-rid-' though the present financial deprri;-' sion has resulted in a check to their development in common with many, other developments, MrJMrks said hi. has no doubt that Mr Rodgers’ idealism will be fully justified in the early future by the results.