HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1918, Page 8

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

COMPREHENSIVE GOVERNMENT SCHEME. ADDRESS BY MR. E. PARKY.

At the New Plymouth Borough Council Chamber last night, Mr. E. TVry, chief electrical engineer to the Government, cave an interesting and instinctive address dealing with the proposed scheme of the Government for the development of the hydro-electric power on a big scale, extending over the whole of the North Island. Mr. Parry has come to Taranaki to investigate some sources of Supply, and took the opportunity of placing an outline of the scheme before the Borough Council. Mr. Parry is accompanied by Mr. F. Kissel, office engineer to the Public Works Department, and chief assistant to Mr. Parry. His Worship the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess) presided, and there were present: Crs. J. W. Haydcn, F. J. Hill, W. A. Collis, G. W. Browne, J. Clarke, the town clerk (Mr. F. T. Bcllringer), the borough engineer (Mr. W. 11. Cook), and the electrieal engineer (Mr. R. H. Bartley). Mr. Parry said lie was pleased to have the opportunity of placing before the New Plymouth Borough Council the intentions of the Government from a technical point of view, though it would be without giving any assurance as to when the scheme would be carried, out. That would only come when the public were ready for the proposal. Briefly stated, it meant that the State would enter into partnership with local authorities for industrial development, and such a proposal was, to say the least, an inspiring one. His endeavor would be to show where the State responsibility would end and where the responsibility of the local authority would begin. The State would be in the position of the bulk supplier, and the local authority would become the distributing agent for power. It was not the purpose of the State to do any of the reticulation for local supplies. The State would be the wholesale supplier, and the local authority would retail and distribute the supply. Mr. Parry proceeded by giving an outline of the scheme as it is in operation in connection with the La*.e Coleridge supply station for the city of Christchurch. That was really intended to be a supply source for Canterbury. By maps the route of the high-power tension lines to the transforming station was shown, where a (10,00(1 volts current was reduced to 11,000 volts, which was a desirable voltage for distribution. Supplies were now taken as far north as Kaiapoi, where power was taken by the woollen mills, freezing works, flour mills, and also the Kyre County, and further harth the borough of Rangiora was waiting, in readiness to proceed with reticulation as soon as the scheme wart extended to that area. The Belfast freezing works were large consumers, and the Waimakarire County Council had.:;lso\become a distributing authority. On the south the system at present went as far as the Lincoln Agricultural College, while the Tai Tapu Dairy Company was practically a distributing authority in its own locality, it having main lines extending over about fourteen miles, and was supplying current in three different, counties. This was done by tiie dairy company with the only additional expenditure to the company on account of the maintenance of main line:;. Mr. Parry said the extension of the scheme was contemplated as far c.s AUaroa, where the county authority bed a provisional agreement with practically every householder on the peninsula to take electricity as soon as it was available, and they were ready to go ahead with the reticulation work.

Mr. Parry then dealt with the proponed scheme for the North Island. lly a large map he snowed where the chief supply sources would be, and how they would 'link up with a system embracing the whole island. A large station was proposed at Arapuni, in the Waikato, one at Waikaromoana, and one at Shannon, in the Manawalu. From the first station a line would be taken as far north as Whangarei. The two northern stations would be connected, and from the latter a line would be taken to Gisbornc. also southwards right through the Wairarapa to Wellington, and northwards to ! the Shannon station, from which the line would be carried right up through Taranstki to New Plymouth, and across to the main line, joining at Taunmruimi, a line coming down from Arapuni to Marlon Junction. The aim of the (iovernment was to make electricity available to every householder in New Zealand, and, wherever circumstances were favorable, for the conducting of any business whatsoever. The electrification of railways and such schemes would not be wholly possible until the general scheme was completed. The idea was to establish first a system of universal distribution. If a transmitting lino was carried to New Plymouth, he saw great possibilities in connection with the iror.sand smelting and the grinding of lime for farm work. Regarding the railways, it was likely the mountain portions, and then the tunnels, would receive first attention regarding electrification, the sections between tunnels being run on steam until the whole system could be transformed. Mr. Parry said the Government favored the extension of activities of local authorities. Referring to local possibilities in that connection, be said there was a very likely source of power for generating supply at the junction of the Mangonui and Waitara Rivers, which would be quite aderpiate for local needs, and capable of considerable development. If it was decided to proceed with that scheme, it would be advisable to get other local bodies to combine and get a license to develop that source of power, and the district would become the local distributing authority. Mr. Parry had several other maps designed to show density of population in different areas, and he showed that Taranaki, particularly in the vicinity of New Plymouth, was a very closely settled district compared (in area) with other localities, and in that respect was favorably situated for becoming a local distributing authority. Mr. Parry answered a number of questions relating to the proposal as affecting local requirements, which were put by some of those present. He said that the supply available from the stations proposed to be erected would be equal to about 2.'i0,0()0 h.p., and that would be sufficient for, perhaps, half a century. He also said that the Lake Coleridge system had resulted in the saving already of , r >o,ooo tons of coal annually. He looked upon Taranaki as a district oil'ering possibilities of the most profitable development of such a scheme. In reply to questions as to whether, in the event of a local* authority undertaking a comprehensive scheme of power production, when the Government scheme was carried, they would in any way compete against or cut out the local authority, Mr, Parry said the general policy of the Government was to encourage the development of local schemes, which ,w*3uld be of great use even when the big

Government scheme did become estab lished.

Some quest ions were asked as to Hie power likely to be required for batterydriven vehicles, and Mr. Parry gave it as .his opinion that the future would see heavy demand:; for such power. He quoted the opinion of Mr. Lawrence Dirks, the engineer in charge of the Luke Coleridge scheme, that battery-driven vehicles paid for themselves in four months, and that they were fast becoming very popular. A quest ion regarding the Government allowing private enterprise to undertake the development of power supply sources, elicited the reply that no privilege in that direction would bo given by the Government, without the consent of the local authorities in the district concerned.

A question was also asked as to the running of battery-driven trucks*, and Mr. Parry said that although they did not develop the speed of the petrol-driven vehicle, yet the average amount of work accomplished by them gave a better record than that of petrol motors. Their maximum speed was only about 13 miles per hour, and that was a factor in keeping the repair charges at a very low figure. The Mayor, on behalf of the council, thanked Mr. Parry for attending and giving the valuable information he had done to the council, and the speaker was accorded a hearty round of applause.