MOTUROA-TE ROTI RAILWAY: ALSO HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1920, Page 3

MOTUROA-TE ROTI RAILWAY: ALSO HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Sir,—People soon miss the dead hand of the Department as trey view the activities in four districts in South Auckland over light railways, and when one reads the following, which Is a sample of numerous advertisements .-—"Wanted: Locating engineers, levellers and experienced chalnmen," one cannot help praying that the settlers here will now take, the mater up, telling the Public Works Department tl:at It must either got on, or get out, and allow the county councils to do the extra work. (Personally you cannot get mo to believe that there is any local anxiety to get this railway). As for hydro-electricity, the position could not ho more unsatisfactory. For two years I have battled for a Power Board, and then when the Hydro-Electricity League choso the easy way by raising £7OO to ascertain sources of power, some of the contributing bodlis failed with their subs, because their unauthorised expenditure limit had been reacred. This the Minister promised to remedy, but local bodies are now only allowed to contribute to power boards, which shows that my opposition to the merging of the Hydro-Eleetrlclty Lehgue into the Taranalri Progressive League/ and my proposal to form a power board Instead, was not only justified but the amending Act proves my action to have been right, as now the Taranaki Progressive Leaguo has just the snime difficulty In raising funds for hydro-electric-ity purposes. It has no power to raise one shilling, and It Is the old story. "Beg pardon, wtat about that little sub " (The Howera County Council Is getting advice .on the legality of subscribing). Tills permissive business never gets anywhere, just as the permissive Efficiency Board never achieved anything, except to advertise its own Inefficiency. A power board must he formed if people want hydro-electricity, and till then we are only playing at "Here "we go round the mulberry bush." But, sir, see what is doing outside, how, while we arc going slow, other people are awako:—

I "There are 10 electric power districts already established In the Dominion They are as follows, ti-e value of ratable property (unimproved) belne attached-.-Southland, £13,600,471, Thames Valley £0 61499.1 Te Awamutu £1,759,550, Cambridge ' £1.083 63' Banks Peninsula £3,430,817, Walrarapa £3114,718, Central £3,667,904, Tevlot SI 109137, WMroa £2,417,251, and Spring., Kllesfflere, £2,627,468. The amount of proposed oans are: Southland £1,500,000, Thames galley £200,000, Te Awamutu £l2O 000 Cambridge £60,000, Banks Peninsula £IOO- - In each case the polls were almost unanimously carried in favor of the loans " Taranoki is not there, and whs? '■ I would like to 'have had a chance of doin? pioneer work on such a hoard, but ts there is a general election for County Councils on tie second Wednesday in November, and I ««n pulling out from Egmont, through mv efforts |„ cutting'down the rate, not being su tally seconded, _i won't have a h „ po „ f Jl P i" K ; i n<i ti,m(o ™ ' ™>i only repeat Cecil Rhodes final remark, "So much to do so little done."—l am, etc., ' Kahotu, 14th October.' * * ™ GHT -