HYDRO-ELECTRIC SUPPLY.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1919, Page 5

HYDRO-ELECTRIC SUPPLY.

PUSHING ON WITH THE WORKS. Wellington, Lust Night. In the course of the Budget, the Minister for Finance states; — The continued success of the Luke Coleridge hydro-electric supply system has been of the greatest significance (particularly during the recent coal shortage! in maintaining the industries and domestic conveniences of the district supplied and in reducing the demand for coal. The plant is now overloaded, and it ; is proposed to complete the installation up to the capacity of the existing hendworks (16,000 horse.power) as soon as the necessary materials can be obtained, and to push on with the extensions to South Canterbury, as well as the necessary surveys for other power services in the South Island. For these works a sum of £IOO,OOO will be provided. In the North Island the Mangahao works (24,000 horse-power), for the supply of the Wellington Province, are now in hand, and will bo pushed ou energetically. For the Auckland Province investigations are being carried out at Arapuni Rapids, on the Waikntn River, where it is proposed to develop up to a capacity of OO.OOf) horse-power, with transmission lines extending northwards to Auckland, and ultimately joining up with Wairua Falls power station at Whangaroi, eastward to Rotorua, Whakatane, and Gisborne ( ultimately joining up to the Waikaremoana power system, and southward via the Main Trunk Railway line to join up with the Mangahao system at Falmerston, and via the Stratford-Ongarue Railway to New Plymouth. For theße works a sum of £500,000 will be provided during the current year. Proposals by certain local bodies are under consideration for the development of hydro-electric power in several parts of the Dominion, but no decision has yet been arrived at, ejeept in the case of Southland, where the local scheme has been taken in hand vigorously. The bydro-electric works at Horahora have been acquired by the Government from the Waihi Gold Mining Company, thus enabling electric power to be supplied very shortly throughout the Waikato and surrounding districts..