ELECTRIC POWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1046, 9 August 1930, Page 11

ELECTRIC POWER

WORLD PRODUCTION NEW ZEALAND’S HIGH PLACE In view of New Zealand’s expansion in the field of electrical development in recent years it is interesting to note that this Dominion is well to the fore with countries overseas in expenditure on electricity and electrical equipment. Production of electricity throughout tho world at present is estimated in excess of an annual rate of 300 billion kilowatt hours, of which the United States is contributing one kilow'att hour for each 1.4 kilow'att hours generated by all other countries combined, or equal to 41 per cent, of the total, according to a survey just completed by tho American investment banking firm of Pynchon and Co. This survey is the first of its kind made for the electriclight and power industry covering all nations. The report says in part: “Germany ranks second among the* nations of the world in the amount of electricity produced with an estimated output of 34,000,000,000 kilowatt hours, or about 11 per cent, of the total generated throughout the globe; Canada, producing over 18,000,000,000 kilowatt hours, is third in line, furnishing about 6 per cent, of the total; Great Britain and France apepar to be about tied in fourth place, each with approximately 16,000,000,000 kilowatt hours per unnu m. ‘‘Just how much is invested in the world’s electric-power pkrtu is. of course, largely a question of conjecture, but in the knowledge that in the United States it now' exceeds 11,000,000,000 dollars, it may be assumed that at least a 25,000,000.000 dollars investment has been made in order to lighten tho burdens and aid the progress of the world at large. DEPENDENCE ON U.S.A. “Tho dependence of Europe and other parts of the w'orld upon American machinery and equipment for their electric undorlakings is indicated by tho fact that during the for© part of this year (1930), in which exports in general either were running behind or just about holding their own in comparison with a year ago, the exportation of this type of finished products from the United States was well jihead of the corresponding months of 1929. Tracing back a step, it is of interest to note that the manufacturers of electrical products in 1929 reached a new high record total of almost 2.30(1,000.000 dollars, as compared with 1,668,000,000 dollars in 1927 and 1,549.000,000 dollars in 1925, while tho foreign demand for Ameri-can-made equipment of this category likewise established a. new top in exports of close to 150,000,000 dollars. Consideration also should be given to the large amount of products manufactured abroad under American patents. “Very limited data are available on the subject of investment in the electric light and pow'er industry of the w’orld, but such rough estimates a-*> have been gathered for the purpose of this survey may prove interesting: Electric Plant Country. Investment. United States 111,045,000,000 Germany 2,700,000,000 Great Britain .. .. .. .. 1,500,000,000 Canada .. .. .. •• .. .. 1,000,000,000 Italy 945,000,000 Japan *,, .. .. 600,000,000 Switzerland 312,000,000 Denmark 150,000,000 Mexico .. 130,000,000 China 110,000,000 Union of South Africa .. 85,000,000 Australia 75,000,000 New Zealand .. .. .. .. 60,000,000 Hungary 50,000,000 Ireland .. .. .. .. .. .. 26,000,000 Uruguav .. .. .. 15.000,000 Lithuania 2,000,000 EDUCATION GRANTS The Auckland Education Board has been advised by the Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education. that grants have been authorised for the erection of a teacher’s residence at Kereone, near Morrinsville, and for a new school building at Hikutaia, to replace the one destroyed by fire.