The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1918.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 March 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1918.

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER. That the importance of the development of hydro-electric power has now become thoroughly recognised is evidenced by the great interest taken in the various schemes afoot for this purpose. It is odicially stated in the New Zealand Year Book that although abundant water p.vwer ia available throughout New Zealand, . comparatively little use had been made of it before 1900, but during the last decade the development has been very extensive, and promises to be still more so in the near future. In 1903 ths total actual horse power in use was only 9911; by 1910 this was nearly doubled, rising in 1914 to 34,950 and reselling 42,108 in 1910. Of this last last mentioned amount 2908 h.p. was in use in Taranaki. New Plymouth's electreal supply taking 1916, and dairying .utilising 832, freezing works 14, flaxni'lls 20, sawmills 20, flour mills 30, and miscellaneous 12fi. On Thursday-last Mr. E. Parry, the Government's Chief Electrical Engineer, gave a most intercfting and instructive address in New Plymouth on the Government's scheme fcr developing hydro-electric power on n large scale in the North Island, in conjunction (with the public bodies, the Government being the producer and wholesale dealer, while the public bodies will be the retailers and distributors. • This appears to be the scheme which i 3 in operation in connection with the Like Coleridge supply station for the city of Christchurch, though the electric current is distributed as far north as Kaiapoj, where power is taken by woollen mills,"freezing works and flour mills, and in the south by the Lincoln Agricultural College, -while the Tai Tapu Dairy Company has become a distributing authority, having main lines extending over fourteen miles, and supplying, current in three counties. This Lake Coleridge power scheme is the pioneer of nationalised electric enterprise and is capable of very great extension up t" 58,000 h.p. Under the Public Works Act .of 1908 the Government has the sole right to use the water power of the Dominion, though it may delegate that power by licence to any local body, and, outside a mining district, to any person or company, subject to conditions. According to the statements made by Mr. Parry relative to the North Island scheme, the whole area has been mapped ret systematically go as to secure the. linking up of the system over the whole is'and by means of large stations at Arapuni (Waikato), Waikaremoana (Hawke's Bay) and Shannon (Mana■watu), the two northern stations being connected. From Shannon it is proposi ed to take the cable to Wellington in tie south and New Plymouth in the north. Tho object of the Government is ultimately to make electricity available to every householder in the Dominion, and,' wherever possible, to promote its use for industrial purposes, also to utilise the current for light railways. Roferring to Taranaki needs, Mr. Parry pointed out the advanUge of havir." electrical power for ironsand smelting and grinding lime for agricultural purposes, and in this connection he demonstrated that sufficient power for nil needs could be obtained at the junction of the Manganui and Waitara rivers. The Manganui has an average force of 10,000 horse power, and the Waitara 2000, but it would be necessary for a number of local bodies to join i.i order to reduce the heavy cost of the cables which will carry the current. These main schemes which the Government has in view will not, said Mr. Parry, in any way prevent the development of other schemes by local bodies, the general policy of the Government beiiiir to encourage the development of local schemes, but in view of the monopolistic spirit of the State railways there would seem to be a danger that i! it came to be a question of competitior the local enterprises would have to g< to the wall. ThU aspect of the ques tion, however, may well be left out o' view, the all-important aim being to bring electric light and power into general use, especially unteide the larger ■ totfns. The question of coal supply has be«nne very serious in wnsequence of ( wtftwry «fcta» wbieit h»£y * tendency

reticulation of electric current throughi>nt the North Island there would he a great incentive to industrial expansion, while householders and those engaged in all industries would feel greatly relieved from the present worries over lighting and heating. Moreover the risk of outbreak of fires would be greatly minimised, and cleanliness promoted. Te the •.liiirying industry it would he an immense boon to have current for milking machines and other farm work, besides a reliable power for operating tliCjinachinery at the factories. The prospect is certainly alluring, hut the scheme will take many years to attain anything like maturity, though it is certainly a project that can be made of inestimable benefit to the country. The potentialities of electricity are enormous in the economic life of a country like New Zealand where water power ia running to waste merely for want of being harnessed for useful work. The essentials of any scheme must te cheapness, reliability and comprehensiveness. We have the motive power for generating current, and if the Government can finance the necessary machinery and reticulation accessories, the local bodies may be trusted to distribute the current to the best advantage. We can live in hope that in the dim and distant future our descendants may enjoy the full privileges of an age of electricity when most of our present troubles will have given way to better, happier and more suitable conditions, and the labor problem w;l* have been solved. Meanwhile, it. would be advisable for public bodies to moke the best possible use of all the available power in their districts for generating electricity.