HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1921, Page 7

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

PROPOSED PROVINCIAL DISTRICT. VIEWS OF PROGRESS LEAGUE. A meeting of the executive of the Taranaki Progress League was held at Stratford on Friday, when there were present: Messrs. J. W. McMillan (president), W. P. Kirkwood, J. B. Richards, A. Corkill, T. McPhillips and N. R. Cleland.

The sub-committee appointed by the league to go into the question of hydroelectricity for Taranaki submitted its report as follows:

The desirability of a power board extending over the whole of Taranaki has been affirmed. Your committee endorses this view for the following reasons: (1) That every circumstance tending towards a cheap and ample supply should be taken advantage of. (2) That low priced current can best be attained by large production by single or combined units and large consumption thereof. (3) That a multiplicity of power boards would result in partial de--1 velopment which would in turn result in some districts attaining the advantage of electric power, while others would be without. (4) That the cheapest and .amplest source of supply will probably be from the Government scheme, when same is available. (5) That the probable tendency of small power boards would be to develop energy and installations for their own small requirements, and consequently when cheap and ample current becomes available, from the Government or otherwise, such local installations and interests vested therein would bcome obstacles to further progress. (6) That a large power board ! could at least equally as well install 1 communication lines, and adopt expedients for an early supply of current. (7) That a large board could more easily finance extensive works. (8) That a large board could make weightier representations to the Government. (9) That a large board would better conserve the general interests of Taranaki. (10) That a large board would be able to lay the foundation of an installation which would ultimately harmonise with the requirements of supply from the Government scheme. (11) That the small power board would carry a greater risk of breakdown because a large board could divert current from different sources, whereas a smaller board would have only one source of supply. Jn order to form a power board it is necessary that each local district must signify their willingness to be included by a petition 'signed by at least 25 per cent of the ratepayers. Your committee recommends: (1) That a copy of this report be forwarded to each county council, borough council and town board within Taranaki. (2) That each body be asked if it will allow a copy of a petition praying for the formation of a power board to be taken charge of by the local body’s clerk in order that ratepayers may sign same. (3) That every chairman of directors of co-op. dairy companies be supplied with a copy of the report, for placing before the dfrectors, the league to be advised of the result. (4) That upon favorable replies thereto being received, the necessary petitions be prepared and a copy forwarded to each local body. (5) That newspaper advertisements be inserted inviting ratepayers to sign the petition' lodged at the respective local bodies’ offices. Your committee recognises the possiiblity that some portions of Taranaki may not desire to be included within the power board district, and the replies to the foregoing request will help to clear the ground and better reveal, the position the league has to meet. On the suggestion of Mr. Richards, it was decided that copies of the petition be sent to all chairmen of dairy companies, with a request that the matter be brought before the directors of the company, the league to be informed of the result of the directors’ discussion. Mr. Richards said the objects of the league were not fully undwstood. He was quite convinced that many people did not credit the league with the large view they took of the matter. Some of the outlying districts had the idea that the league was working in the'interests of some particular districts only. If that were so the result, 01 course, would be that some outlying districts would be cut out of supply of power. It was very necessary that the ideas of the league should be published as widely as possible, and if the petition came* before dairy company directorates that would help largely to dissipate the wrong ideas many people held. It would also strengthen the hands of the league in getting a board for the whole province. Mr. McPhillips said there was no one source which would supply the needs of the whole ,of Taranaki, and it would be necessary to link up several sources. The most critical phase of the position was that of production. The Kaponga Town Board applied to the Waimate West County Council for permission to supply portion of the county with power, but the ..county refused the application in the meantime. On the south side of the mountain there was a feeling that that district would never have its requirements met from New Plymouth. As far as they could see New Plymouth was sitting in the breeching to some degree. Waimate West ratepayers were desirous of getting power as quickly as possible, but the Kaponga request was held over till -after that day’s meeting. It must be the object of the league to find out the best sources of power for the province as a whole. There was very little time to lose. The league must not be dog-in-the-manger. The ratepayers would go against the league if steps were taken which had the effect of preventing them from taking advantage of power which was available. Unless the league could show the ratepayers that they could supply sufficient power he could not see the league being a success. Undoubtedly many small sources would have to be linked up. The Kaponga engineef told the speaker that if a board was formed sufficient power could be got out of the various streams to supply power from Rahotu to Hawera. Such a 'thing might come to pass more quickly if a provincial power board was formed. Many little schemes would be brought forward, arid people were getting restive as to when they would get power, in view of New Piyaouth not joining in the scheme. New Plymouth did not desire anybody to take over their plant. The position was very unfortunate. The suggestion to get power to Eltham along the railway line was no use. The people along the line would take the current —they could not be blamed if they did—but the small scheme would spoil the provincial scheme. People living back from the line would get none of the current. The league must be able to promise something before fejr ft

rate. The league must proceed on broad lines. There was a pretty general opinion that the success of the league’s operations depended on getting power from New Plymouth. If the big board was to succeed it must be made known that it would supply power irrespective of New Plymouth, if necessary.

Mr. Richards pointed, out that when the power board was formed the Progress League would have no more say in its affairs than any other public body. He would like the public to thoroughly understand that. Some people thought the Progress League would have control of the board. Competent engineers would have to be employed to determine what small schemes might be linked up. Things should not be rushed just because of the urgent necessity of getting power at the earliest possible date. They must be careful not to make mistakes.

The chairman said everything should be done to remove the idea that the Progress League would not proceed until the Government power was available. Mr. Richards said the league was treading in a quite unknown path. They must go carefully, and be sure to lay such solid foundations that a fine edifice might be erected thereon. The chairman said the league was not opposed to small schemes, but the small schemes must be installed in such a manner as to work in with a provincial scheme. The whole of the power plants in the province must be under the control of one board. Mr. Corkill said *that if sufficient small sources were they might be able to supply the province without the Government power. For instance, they had expert advice that 1500 h.p. could be developed in the Manganui River.

Mr. Kirkwood said the Eltham people proposed to call their board the Taranaki Electric Power Board, but this would be a misnomer, as the proposed board included only a portion of the province. The board the league proposed to form might properly be called the Taranaki Electric Power Board, ' Mr. Walter said the Eltham people were on the point of setting out to get signatures to their petition. The chairman said that in that case the league should advertise warning residents of the province to refrain from signing any petition until the league's views had been placed before them. In reply to a question by Mr. McPhillips, Mr. Richards said a power board had power to levy a rate to pay for necessary surveys. The board could levy a rate or raise a loan, and could demand from local bodies the payment of certain sums, as was now done in the case of hospital boards. The chairman said things would move quickly once the board was formed. Much time had been spent in getting the board going. The chairman moved the adoption of the report, Mr. Corkill seconding.

Mr. Kirkwood said there was some conflict with Eltham, but he hoped Eltham would give way to the provincial scheme. The league had been formed for the purpose of presenting a united front on matters affecting the province. In the past there had been no united actiqn in reference to the harbor, the railways and public works generally, %nd such a position should not be allowed to arise again. As regards electricity the league wanted the support of the whole of the province. The Taranaki Hydro-electric League had done useful spade-work in connection with the electric power position, and had handed the matter over to the Progress League, as being a more suitable body to deal with it. The Progress League had been accused <of not moving quickly enough, but they •had to wait till Mr. Birks came along and cleared up certain points. It Would have been suicidal for the league to have gone on with such a new branch of work without the valuable information they had got from Mr. Birks. For instance they could not do anything until they knew when the Government power would be available. They should have credit for having marked time. Ultimately they hoped to get the Government power. Those who criticised the league must be ignorant of the work it had done. He sincerely believed that the league would yet receive the support of the whole province in their effort to supply the whole province with power.

Mr. McPhillips said certain people had left the league and now blamed it for dilatoriness. The correct course for those people was to have stayed in the league and helped to push things along. It looked as if the New Plymouth people, had approached those who had seceded and promised to let them have power outside the league’s scheme, suggesting also that it would be a long time before the league’s scheme came to anything. It was a blind policy on the part of those who were trying to get a power supply only along the railway line. It was wrong of local body representatives to support a scheme which would not supply the whole of their ratepayers. If the league proceeded smartly they might be able to guarantee to supply power as early as the Eltham scheme.

Mr. Richards said the policy of the league on this matter was the same as in other matters —it set its face against the manoeuvring on the part of different districts to gain an advantage at the expense of other districts. The league was working in the interests of the province as a whole.

The chairman said Mr. Carman had admitted that Eltham was parochial in the matter, desiring to have power for themselves. Mr. Richards: They do not recognise that the provincial board would do the work better than their proposed board. Mr. Corkill thought the Eltham people should be interviewed by the league’s committee. He thought the only reason the Eltham people took action was because they thought the league was not moving quickly enough. Mr. Richards supported the suggestion. He thought the league should do everything possible to get support for the provincial board. If every effort was made to bring people into the provincial board then the league would be free of onus. Mr. McPhillips warmly commended the Stratford members of the league for the broad, non-parochial view they took on all matters. Mr. Kirkwood said he had moved in the direction of having the travelling expenses of members of the executive paid, so that members living at a distance might be induced to attend. The Stratford members did not want to do all the work. They would prefer the outside members to come in and do it. It was decided that a committee be appointed to meet the Eltham Hydroelectric Committee.