HYDRO-ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1919, Page 6

HYDRO-ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT.

OBJECTION'S TO NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH'S AREA BOUNDARIES. CONTINUATION OF INQUIRY. The inquiry into tho Moa Road Board's objections to the license applied for by the New Plymouth Borough Council for an extended area of supply, was concluded yesterday morning, Mr W. S. Short sitting as a Commissioner in the matter. Mr Bartley, continuing his evidence said that the price fixed at £l2 per h.p. per annum was a reasonable one and on which the retail charged could be based so as to give a reasonable profit to the boards that took bulk supply. The Borough must have power quickly and could not wait until prices came down, which might be seven or eight years. The Borough did not want to have the same experience as that at Lake Coleridge in the early stages of the undertaking. Speaking of the Inglewood plant Mr Bartley said the lack of power development was not due to faulty machinery .but to insufficient water supply. He admitted the plant was not all modern, but it was not grossly ineflicient. Mr Bartley said the council would welcome the Government supply when it came along, but there was no chance of that at an early date. The district must have the power whether the council or the Government developed it. The council scheme was based on Government standards, and the present system was being changed from a single to a three-phase system so as to work in with the Government scheme when it came along. In reply to Mr Lyon he said he measured the Manganui river to ascertain the minimum flow of water estimated jt at 140 cubic feet per second, and a 6 x 5 tunnel would take twice that flow.

Mr Lyon said he had watched the river for a long period and never saw it less than 90 feet wide by a foot in depth, and was satisfied that amount of water yrould not go through a 6 x 5 tunnel. Mr Bartley said it all depended on the velocity of the river, to which Mr Lyon said he knew nothing about the velocity of the river.

In reply to further questions Mr Bartley said it would be probably two years before the headworks of the Borough scheme were completed. The whole scheme of 8000 h.p. might not be available toy then. It might be some time before the full capacity of the scheme was available. He thought they would be in a position to supply, power within nine months. He declined to give the estimated cost of the works, as tenders had to be called for them.

Mr Quilliam said Mr Clarke would give the figures. James Clarke, chairman of the Electric Light Committee of the New Plytaouth .Borough Council, said the first object of the Council was to develop about 2000 h.p. for the requirements of the Borough. It was found on examination by engineers that from 6000 to 8000 h.p, could be developed at a much tower proportionate cost, and the council thought that as the Government scheme would not reach Taranaki for some time, and there was already a big demand for power all over the district, it would be folly not to develop the larger scheme. For that, of course, a large area was necessary, and it would mean also that the cost of current would work out cheaper. If the New Plymouth scheme was delayed it would mean, in his opinion, that the power available would not be developed for at least five years, and perhaps much longer. The charges were based so as to protect the Borough from 'loss in the early stages of the scheme. If the extended area was not granted the council would develop only sufficient power for the Borough itself and perhaps Inglewood and Waitara. The Borough had incurred some expenditure in connection with the proposed undertaking. The only thing that was delaying the expedition of tlie work was the present commission. But for that tenders would have been called for the works. In regard to the suggestion of secrecy as to prices to be charged, Mr. Clarke said it was impossible to say at what rate powc-r could be supplied at until it was known the amount to be taken, where it was to be taken, and at what time of the day it was required. In reply to Mr Lyon, Mr Clarke said the approximate cost of the New Plymouth. scheme would be £200,000. The big scheme would not be developed unless a large area of supply was granted. It would be no good to the Jouncil to erect transmission lines through a district without the right to supply settlers along the line. He was of opinion that the. New Plymouth scheme would be completed before the Moa Road District got a power board formed. Mr Lyon suggested that such a board ?ould be constituted in two months at the outside, to which others suggested that twelve months would be nearer the mark.

Mr Clarke continued that the Borough was "up against" the demand for power, and must have an additional 300 h.p. for the coming winter. Tlie objection made by Mr Lyon—lie doubted whether the ratepayers supported Kim—was holding up the whole scheme, as it was impossible for the Borough to proceed until, they got the license applied for. Evidence was also given by Joseph Brown, a ratepayer of the Moa District, as to the demand for power in that district.

Mr Quilliam addressed the Commissioner in the course of which he said there had nothing brought forward in support of the objections raised. Those objections were based upon parochialism, selfishness and downright ignorance of electrical supply matters. There was only one objector and that was Mr Lyon, and lie had quite failed to get any knowledge of electric supply maters. He had not even considered the interests of his own district, and without making any inquiry he had assumed that he or his district was going to he "had" by the' New Plymouth Borough Council. Mr Lyon rose and protested against Mr Quilliam's remarks, saying he had gone too far. Continuijig, Mr Quilliam said the objections as to profiteering and monopoly had been disposed of by the Commissioner at the commencement of the sitting. He stressed therefore the great, demand for power all over the district, and the unanimity with which the representatives of the surrounding local bodies and industrial enterprises had come forward in support of the New Plymouth Council's application for a license for an extended area of supply.

Mr Lyon said there was.no need for him to reply to the vituperation of Mr. Quilliam. He was paid for that by his present employers and did it as willingly for them as he would do it for the speaker to-morrow if he were paid the price. He then went on to urge that $» ttutftift tlx ol&otictt Md gits time

for the formation of a power board in the Moa district, would not prejudice the progress of the New Plymouth scheme. The Commissioner interrupted to ask Mr Lyon if, when boiled down, his objection was not that time should be allowed for the formation of a power hoard in the Moa district which could bargain with the New Plymouth Council for cheap, and if that was not available at what was thought a reasonable price, to develop Ihc Manganui power lor their own district? Mr Lyon said the board did not express it in that way.

The Commissioner asked if the Borough Council would consent to a clause in the license to provide against overcharges for current and in the event of such being proved that they should be submitted to and reduced by arbitration. He commented on the point stressed by Mr Lyon that the waterpower of the district was a national asset and if profit was made out of it ail the districts concerned were entitled to share in it.

Mr Quilliani said he could not commit the council to such an agreement without consulting them though he had no doubt they would agree if provision was also made for similarly raising the prices in the event of a loss. Mr Short said he thought the whole matter could have been settled by a conference between the New Plymouth Council and the Moa Board, and the necessity for the commission would never have arisen. Mr Lyon said he would advise his board in that direction now. He was of opinion that there was no desire in the Moa district to "exploit any scheme which would not, give power as cheaply as could be supplied by New Plymouth. If they were satisfied that the New Plymouth Council's scheme would give power cheaper than any other, then he thought they would support the scheme. Mr Lyon expressed his regret at, his late arrival on the previous morning, the cause being a breakdown of the car by which he came in. He noticed the newspapers had made a note of the matter. The Commissioner: That was just a little cheerful comment.

Mr Lyon replied that the papers were always very fair, but after all they were New Plymouth papers. The proceedings then concluded.

In the afternoon those concerned in the work of the commission were taken by the. New Plymouth Council to the site of some of the work to be done in connection with the undertaking.