OUR WATER POWER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 159, 14 October 1910, Page 5

OUR WATER POWER

! GOVERNS .VT'S DEVELOPMENT SCHEME. DISCUSSED BY PARLIAMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Thursday. In the House of Representatives after midnight Sir -Joseph Ward moved the second reading of the Aid to Water-power Works Bill, which provides for raising £500,000 a year at a rate not exceeding -ty 2 per cent. The principal undertakings the Government proposes to carry out were the Kaituna, Wairoa, Hutt, Lake Coleridge, llauroto, Makuri and West Coast schemes.

The Kaituna scheme was intended to supply Auckland, the Bay of Plenty and the Waikato, ar.A it was proposed to provide for 10,000 liorse-power at a cost of £320,000, ex ten ;ing over two years. For North Auckland, Wairoa would be utilised, and 3000 horse-power would be provided at a cost of £IOO,OOO. This would supply Whangarei, Dargaville and the northern districts of Auckland province. The Lake Coleridge scheme would be developed to supply Canterbury between Timaru and Hurunui with 10,000 horsepower at a cost of £270,000. The Hutt supply would be 10,000 horsepower at a cost of £300,000, which would supply Wellington and District. The Teviot would fee utilised to supply the central towns in Otago and Dunedin, the supply being 10,000 horse-power at a cost of £300,000.

Southland would be supplied from the Hauroto with 10,000 horse-power at a cost of £350,000. The Makuri would supply Palmerston, Feilding, Dannevirke and Masterton, 6000 horse-power being provided at a cost of £200,000. The West Coast would be supplied with 3000 horse-power, the power including the extension of the Kumara water race, at a total cost of £75.000. Provision for surveying would be made, being a cost of about £30,000, and the total cost of the various schemes enumerated was £1>,075,000. The cost to the consumer upon the ibasis of £lO per horse-power per annum would be 2d per unit for light and Id per unit for power—much cheaper than any other power. Surveys of the Hutt, Ivaituna and Lake Coleridge schemes would be put in hand at once, and the whole scheme would be completed in four years. The water-power scheme would revolutionise the industrial life of the Dominion, an 1 provide power for irrigation, electric lighting, and mining purposes. The power could also be used in the manufacture of manures and steel smelting, should the latter industry be established in the future. The dairying industry would i'=o be able to utilise water-power. The more he thought over the subject, the more he was impressed with the necessity of the State controlling water-power. It was intended to ask for an appropriation of £500,000 yearly for the next four years for the development of waterpower schemes. When these were completed the Dominion would be ahead of anv country in the world in regard to water-power, the possibilities of which were enormous. When the Public Works Statement was introduced fuller details would be placed before the House. On the suggestion of Mr. Massey, the House adjourned to enable members to consider the proposals.

The House rose at 112.30 a.m. Wellington, Last Night. The adjourned debate on the .Aid to Water-power Works Bill was resumed this afternoon. Mr. Massey said the proper policy for the Dominion to pursue in regard to the development of water-power resources was 'to hasten slowly. He was in favor of developing one scheme, and if that were successful it would be time to go on with the complete policy. ' The scheme outlined by the Premier on the previous night would cost an enormous sum, and he asked where the Government would get its customers for the power developed. While he would not oppose the second reading, he would move in committee that the sum asked for be reduced by one-half. Mr. Thomson (Dunedin) was in sympathy with the scheme, but urged caution in its initial stages. Mr. Wilford doubted if power could be supplied at the figures quoted by the Premier ,and advocated taking every precaution in the way of getting all reliable information before going on with such a huge undertaking. Provision ought 'to be made for sinking funds and depreciation in connection with the proposed works. If there were any doubt as to the competence of the experts advising the Government, he suggested delaving the Bill till next session, so that all doubts might ba removed. Mr. Allen (Bruce) also dwelt, on the necessity for caution in carrying out a scheme which might prove a larger one than the Dominion could undertake with success. There were two Questions to be considered in regard 'to tile scheme —■ (1') Whether, the Government's estimate of the cost of various,.works was correct; (2) whether the horse-power to be developed was to be available for 24 hours continuously. The latter question affected the cost of the power. It outfit to be made clear .that the whole power produced' could be sold at profitable rates, which had not yet been done. Mr. J. Vigor Brown considered the Government was doing the correct thing. He was only sorry that it had not been done sooner.

Mr. Taylor (Christchurch) urged that before the schemes were undertaken, exhaustive data as to the volume of water, etc., should be obtained. The Lake Coleridge scheme promised to be an immediate success, as more was known about it than any other. Mr. Poole was thoroughly convinced the time was ripe for the utilisation of water-power. The scheme outlined iby the Premier was an ambitious one, an'l it was only natural that members should advise caution. He hoped there would be no tendency to extravagance in carryin," out the work.

Mr. Luke approved of the scheme n* n . eralh-, but asked .whether it could" foe curried out on a business basis. Mr. Mauder congratulated the Government on taking up the proposals.' Mr. lVareo disapproved .of the scheme which \v«* ton costly and too widespread' no considered private enterprise could undertake the work under certain restrictions. MessrsMaeDonald, McLaren, Field and Stallworthy supported the second readThe House rose it 5.30 p.m. In the House in the evening. Mr. Buchanan continuing the debate, said it would be foolish in the last degree for the Dominion to enter on a scheme involving such a large outlay of monev without the fullest information being first obtained. He would support the Leader of the Opposition in movino to reduce the loan bv one-half. Mr. Fraser thought it would not be wise to rush headlong into the number of schemes proposed. The better course would be to complete one or two so as to get an indication to the possibili- ' of success.

Mr. Laurcnson endorsed Mr. Fraser'3 remarks. Mr. Dillon gave his support to itlui scheme. Mr. R. McKcnzie considered there was 110 ground for doubt as to the success ofi the water-power policy. The Lake Coleridge and Hutt schemes were very fully; reported upon. Xo scheme would be un- [ dertak'en without fullest information being obtained. Electrical power could be utilised for the manufacture of nitrates, carbides, wood pulp, cement, and in other industries. Turning to the question of market, he said there would be a fair demand for electrical power in the districts where it was proposed to erect works which were of a size proportionate to requirements. The result of the use of the water-power would be to draw the population from towns into the country. He did not approve of the Opposition's advice to make haste slowly. It was time for the Dominion to make a start, and he felt sure that the scheme would have a more beneficial effect than any other progressive measure placed on the Statute Book and result in New Zealand becoming the greatest manufacturing country in the Southern Hemisphere. He was satisfied that a larger sum than the two millions proposed to be spent on the undertaking might profitably be expended on the development of waterpower. The second reading was carried on tha Tolces.