HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1919, Page 7

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

DETAILS OF NORTH ISLAND SCHEME. In his address at Palmerston, Mr. Harry detailed the big hydro-electric scheme for the North Island. There would be three principal power stations, 1421 miles of transmission lines, and 29 sub-stations at which power would be transformed for general distribution. The main transmission line would go from Shannon to Wellington, from Wellington through the Wairarapa to Woodville, thence to Palmerston North, and down to Shannon, up to Taranaki, and through to Hawke's Bay. The method of distribution was explained by illustration of .what is being done at Lake Coleridge. Sufficient power could be generated to supply all the local authorities in the province. Reticulation was not a function of the State, but rather of municipal bodies, who must dp. the retail work. "We sell the power in bulk, as it were," said Mr. Parry, "and there our work ends. "Our object is to enable electricity to be supplied to every householder, every industry, the coal mines, the railways, at any point whatsoever, and when the scheme is completed the North Island will be covered with a network of lines." As regards the Mangahao s6heme, there would bo sub-stations at Otaki, Wellington, Featherston, Masterton, Bunnythorpe (a very big sub-station), Marton, Dannevirke, and so on. It was estimated that at the beginning 160,000 horsepower would be required for the North Island, and of that Mangahao would provide 24,000 horse-power. The estimate for the whole island did not provide sufficient power to warrant the commencement of special new industries which it''was hoped would be started, but ultimately there would be surplus power available from Awapuni and Waikaremoana.