CONSERVING WATER POWER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 350, 30 March 1910, Page 7

CONSERVING WATER POWER

j 2JEW ZEALAND'S POWER. : POTENTIALITIES BE VON D DREAMS, The manufacturing of all Australasia ancl a great portion of the Orient could be done in Zealand, stated Air. L. M. Hancotk, M.A.I.E.E.j superintendent of the transmission depariment ot the California Gas and Electrical Corporation, in a report to the Xea- Zealand 'Government in 1904. "Being so near the markets with this unlimited power, and having a climate not surpassed and hardly equalled anywhere, and suited to a degree co manufacturing purposes, tlie possibilities of the colony are almost beyond the bounds of fancy/' He considered that by building a tunnel through tlie hill at Lake Coleridge, in Canterbury, 23,000 horse-power could be developed without raising the lake level, the cost being estimated at £BO,OOO. As for the electrification of the Xew Zealand railways, Mr. Hancock stated: "There is no question auout the water power of the whole colony being ample to handle the whole system, nor is there any doubtful engineering question 'involved. It is purely a question of •business policy." Mr. Hancock suggested that a start could be made by adapting the suburban lines around Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, and the Lyttelton tunnel to electric traccion, the energy available lor this purpose being abundant. , The Rangitikei river was one of the possible sources of power supply inspected, an .l the engineer considered that although the stream had a large drainage area, and a magnificent flow at the time of liis visit, there were no lakes in the watershed to equalise the How. and any development would be exceedingly expensive owing to the high and long- dams which would be required. Considerable time was spent in an ini spection of the Mana'watu Gorge as a possible - ite for power development, but it -was found to be worth little from a power standpoint owing to the slight fall and the big variation between maxitaum and minimum flow.

THC POWER AVAILABLE. SOME PROFITABLE SCHEMES. In 1005 Mr. Edmund Alio, electrical aivl livilrau'.io engineer. rcnovW on tlie power available at a number of points. TTp estimated that the FnVa "Falls and rapids on the Waikato 311,.034-lior«e

power was available. ">n-d that, a preliminary scheme to utilise lfl.C.nn horsepower would post £34.000 to ;n«tal. The Hutt river was inspected at Unper Hutt. hut it was estimated that onlv 1(300--horse-power could he obtained.such a small an ount not heina worth the hinrii post.—estimated at £1.10.000 to £200.000 —for development. Mr. Alio cmisiVlfirpil flpit 1i.500 could he sunplinrj in Christchnrch 'from the AV-inmkariri river at a total cost of €250.000. including transmission I'ie. The sale of 14.000 'hnrsp-pow-r a 1 £T per h.p. pi>r annum would realise £OB.OOO. while vorlcinp expenses weiv estimate-'- at £34.nf10. leaving a profit of £R4 o.no. An easier scheme to would. Mr. Al'o reported. he the TM.-oi'a rive-, at the flnri-es. from roul-d he fleHvprnd in Christehurch at. a cost of £i 10.000. The cost of enuinriin? the steam railroads for electric was estimator! at £3OO nei' rni'e without, 4 he power «tations. and the electric power could easily lie siinnlied. as it was caV-ulatod Hiat +he wh"lf of the power used hv locomotives in the North Island wax 4000 hoivie-power.