The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1921. POWER SCHEME FOR TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 March 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1921. POWER SCHEME FOR TARANAKI.

The visit of Mr. L. Birks, chief Government electrical engineer, should result in benefit to Taranaki. In his interview with the Progress League at Stratford on Tuesday, he indicated that it would be quite five years before power will be available from Arapuni, the proposed source of supply for Taranaki, and that in the meantime efforts should be made to develop the local sources of supply, which would later on fit in with the Government scheme. In his last annual report Mr. Birks suggested the formation of-four power districts— Patea, Hawera, Stratford and New Plymouth—but at the Stratford conference he agreed that one district embracing the whole would serve quite as well. The position is that New Plymouth already has a license over a specified district, and has arranged to sell power to Inglewood, and it would, therefore, only be necessary for the other districts to form themselves into a power board, and secure the current available from New Plymouth, connecting at Inglewood. The policy of the Electrical Department, according to Mr. Birks’ annual report, is to supply power in bulk, leaving the reticulation and retail supply in the hands of the local authorities. Thus New Plymouth’s supply would take the place of the Government’s until the latter was available, the price and conditions being fixed by the Government. Some doubt has been expressed as to the extent of the ’Waiwakaiho supply, which has been estimated at 8000 h.p., but when Mr. Birks has personally investigated the scheme he will be in a position to speak authoritatively on the matter. It is true that during the past month or so the river has been lower than for the past 36 years, and possibly some revision may be necessary in the estimate of the power available. But even if the power is only 6000 h.p. at the lowest kflown point, it should go a long way to meet the needs of the province, particularly if. m mu?-

gested by Mr. Birks, the present Taranaki plants are kept as a stand-by. Last year . Lake Coleridge generated 8000 h.p'., though four times that amount was actually sold, owing to spreading the power over the full twentyfour hours so as to keep down the maximum demand on the power house. Similarly New Plymouth generates 1000 h.p., but sells 4000. Lake Coleridge serves a vastly greater population than Taranaki’s is likely to be for another five years, and so the Waiwakaiho scheme, developed to its full capacity, should be able to provide the power until that from Arapuni is available. New Flymouth is now, as our readers know, extending its scheme to give another 2000 horse power, and can complete the full scheme, providing 8000 h.p. if finance is assured. That is the trouble. The Government has withheld its consent to the council offering more than 5| per cent, for the money, and it is not surprising that no one is rushing it for the debentures. Without increasing the rate the council simply has no hope of raising the money necessary to see it over present commitments, let alone the additional £120,000 that would probably be necessary to complete the scheme Just here the other districts could help New Plymouth and themselves by bringing all the pressure they can upon the Government to either grant permission to increase the rate of interest or find the money itself. Until the finance difficulty is got over it is perfectly Obvious that further extension of the Waiwakaiho scheme is out of the question. It is a matter for surprise that the Premier has not ere this seen the importance of providing cheap electricity for Taranaki, and facilitated, instead of hindered, New Plymouth in the national work it is engaged upon. Given this help, the sAeme would be completed probably within two years, and current would be available for the whole of the province. All the other districts need do then would be to provide for the transmission lines and reticulation, where the latter is not at present provided. We hope the position will be realised by the public of Taranaki, and that they will bend their ■ energies towards securing the benefits of cheap electricity at. the earliest possible moment. We have no fear but that Mr. Birks, when seised of all the facts and the possibilities of the Waiwakaiho scheme, will lend his support to Taranaki’s selfreliant efforts to secure the power so easily within reach.