ELECTRIC CURRENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1919, Page 4

ELECTRIC CURRENT.

At tlic meeting of the ifoa Road Board on Saturday, Mr J. Lyon sought to show that New Plymouth was endeavoring to secure an unfair advantage over the outside districts in the matter of the supply of electric current, and urged that "where a power was shown to be sufficient for ail the requirements of Tnranaki, it should become a national undertaking and not lie monopolised by one small section." Evidently Mr Jjyon ia not conversant with all the facts, or lie would not be found accusing New Plymouth of seeking to gain a monopoly at the expense of the outside public. On the contrary, lie would be the first to congratulate the borough upon its enterprise and courage in developing its water-power and making it available to outsiders as well as the town. Thirteen or fourteen years ago a beginning was wade with the harnessing of the Waiwakaiho river, and for some years a great many difficulties were met with and overcome. For some time it was not a remunerative investment; far from it. Mistakes, inseparable from

most pioneering enterprises, were made, and losses incurred, Atch, for instance, as the sweeping away in one niglit of a costly dam. But the turn came, and the faith of the promoters was rewarded. The department, controlled by a highly efficient and energetic manager, set out to develop Die sale of current, offering liberal inducements, and the results of this enlightened and progressive policy were such that addition after addition had to be lutiae to the plant to cope with the business until the time arrived when the department found it must substantially increase the power or it would be obliged to cry a halt. It was at first thought, that by providing extra storage capacity unii making oilier improvements the available horse-power could be doubled, thus securing about 2000 horse-power, but before consulting the ratepayers on a proposal to borrow the necessary extra capital, it was decided en the advice of Mr Hartley, electrical engineer, to obtain a report from aji eminent outside engineer, Sir Blair Mason, who was able to show that by going up the river further, making use of all the available water and head, and utilising the natural features of the gfound for storago purposes, horse-power to the extent of from 0000 to 8000 could be developed. The scheme, costing altogether £120,000, was adopted by tha council, and the first section, costing about £40,000, was duly autln.. ised by tho ratepayers, and' a start lias been made with the work. Naturally, the policy of the department is to find buyers for as much current as possible so as to expedite the completion of the whole scheme. Hence the overtures to the neighboring towns. Inglewood haß agreed to take a certain amount of current at a rate far cheaper than it can hope to develop it itself by extending its own generating works, and negotiations are now in progress with other places. It is obviously to the advantage of tho , department to supply current at a cheap rate to the outlying districts, and it ia likewise to the advantage of tho latter to secure cheap light and power. The outsiders are not asked to shoulder any of the capital expenditure, as: Mr Lyon misapprehends; that has never been even suggested. The department is simply endeavoring to sell its power to other towns on a wholesale basis, carrying it to their doors and enabling th'tta to reticulate and retail it themselves. The whole question resolves itself into one of wholesale price, and if satisfactory lerms can be cpmo to—and there should be no difficulty in doing so—then, the neighboring towns will be able to share in the benefits that New Plymouth's heavy outlay and enterprise combined with the creative talent of a gifted engineer have made possible. There should be no dog-in-the-manger attitude iuV utod towards a borough that whilst heipiug. itself is prepared to help outside and less fortunately placed districts, but one of appreciation. If the outside districts have latent electrical resources they can develop as cheaply as they can purchase current from New Plymouth, then fhey would be foolish to 'enter into a contract, but, if not, then they would bo equally foolish in not coming to terms with New Plymouth, which has the power to sell, and securing the many advantages an efficient supply of electric current confers. Mr Lyon's comparisons of prices charged by New Plymouth and Lake Coleridge are quite misleading, but this aspect of the matter may be loft to the New Plymouth electrical engineer, who is preparing a report setting out tlie actual position, and which will be published in due course.