HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1921, Page 5

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

PROPOSED POWER BOARD. DISCUSSED BY STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. The decision of the conference held at Stratford on Monday last to proceed with the formation of a power board for the Eltham-Stratford-Inglewood district was mentioned by Cr. W. H. Were at yesterday’s meeting of the Stratford County Council, who asked if the chairman could give him any information about the matter. The chairman (Cr. E. Walter) said that a few days after the last meeting of the council the invitation to attend the conference had come, and although he did not have the authority of the council he decided to attend to heat what was said about the proposals. The Taranaki Progress League had the same matter in hand, and was pushing it for all it was worth; but the difference between the two propositions was that the Progress League wanted a power board for the whole of Taranaki, and the Eltham committee just wanted a power board for a certain area Both organisations were working to get the power as quickly as possible, but the Eltham committee thought the Progress League was beating the air in trying to get the big scheme going. He personally was in favor of the Progress League’s proposals as being the best for the province, but after reading the report of the Egmont County Council’s discussion, in which it was said the league was working for Central Taranaki only, he‘ felt very much like “going as catch can and getting what he could.” Cr. Were: “I think it’s the best after all.” The chairman added that if the Progress League could do nothing in the matter it seemed that the other proposal would be adopted. Cr. T. R. Anderson, who represented the Mangatoki Dairy Company at the conference, said that about four years ago the dairy companies in the Eltham district, together with the County Council and Borough Council, formed a league to further a scheme for getting hydroelectric power. A good deal of money was put in, and reports obtained anil a survey made, the league going deeply into the matter. The scheme known as the Eltham scheme was not now an Eltham scheme, as he had held up Stratford’s end of the stick. He had pressed the Stratford side of the case, and if he had not done so he felt sure the league would have joined up with Hawera. Speaking of the proposed power board, he said that someone had to make a start, especially as New Plymouth had a certain amount of power available, and it was proposed to form a power board to use up that available power. If other districts wanted to come iii later on they could certainly do so. He was perfectly satisfied that there were sources of further supply in the district if it was needed, and the power board could inquire into the matter. The Eltham league had met Mr. Birks after he had been through the rest of Taranaki, and diecussed the matter with him. The district now suggested was not the Eltham district, but the one proposed by Mr. Birks. Mr. Birks advised them to get to work at once—those were his words—and if others wanted to come in later on, let them do so. Mr. Anderson referred to the provision of what was known as outer areas, consisting of sheep country, which it would not pay to do anything with just yet, and added that Mr. Birks had expressed the opinion that the provincial scheme would not be possible for a while, owing to the conflicting interests. The committee was now getting to work and appointing men to organise the scheme in all districts.

The matter then dropped, no action being taken.