WOULD HAVE BEEN GOGGLE-EYED AT NEW POWER SCHEME

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 37, 13 May 1965, Page 7

WOULD HAVE BEEN GOGGLE-EYED AT

NEW POWER SCHEME

The early settlers at Waihi Village would have heen goggle-eyed if they had been able to compare their hydro electric power station with the mammoth undertaking which is progressiiig day by day at Turangi. The concrete structure of the Waihi power-house is all that remains of what was once a thriving concern and which. besides producing power for the entire Waihi village, aiso served as a prosperous butter factory during an earlier period. It was in 1918 that the building was opened as a butter factory and a year later an old identity of the district, Mr T. Dempsey, went to Waihi from the King Country to manage the business. Water for the turbines I

was supplied from a high waterfall which cascades (lovvn a sheer face of rock at the back of the building and levels out into the lake. Electricity was supplied to the homes at 3d. per electric light per week. Mr Dempsey said there were big difficulties in providing acoess to the station in its early stages and a roadway had to be made over bog country near the edge of the lake. He said the work was done by the Maori people in the area who used drays and horses to cart the many tons of spoil to make the foundation for the road. Cream for the factory was brought to the site by boat from many parts of the western bays. Before production began parts of the machinery were also brought in by boat and Mr Dempsey recollects such a

t trip when he delivered sep- | arator parts to the factory. | Apparently the butter was of a sufficiently high standard to warrant winning a prize in one of the early agricultural shows in Hamilton. Mr Dempsey said the butter was good beeause of the purity of the water used in its preparation. The factory was started and owned by the Maori people, but after a time domestic problems resulted in a decision to abandon the production of butter and the factory was turned into a mill. The success of this enterprise was limited and after a few years the building was used as a power i house for the benefit of the i village. It was not until about five years ago, when King Country Electric Power Board took over the supply to the area, that the Waihi : | power house was closed down.