POWER SCHEME.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1921, Page 8

POWER SCHEME.

ELECTRICITY FOR EGMONT. COUNTY DISTRICT FAVORED. SEPARATE POWER BOARD. The question of a hydro-electric supply for the'county of Egmont was discussed at the meeting of the Egmont County Council yesterday. The matter cropped up as the outcome of a request from the Taranaki Progress League that the council should nominate a representative to the executive. The chairman and some of the members considered that the Progress League paid too much attention to the districts along the line, and did not take much notice of the needs of Opunake. The Eltham Hydro-Electric Power Committee was thinking of forming a power board, but did pot think of including Opunake within its district. The chairman considered that though the annual subscription only amounted to l-500d in the £, he was not in favor of x joining the league. Cr. Tosland considered that if the council did not join the Progress League they should consider the formation of a local league to push hydro-electricity, railway and other matters within the district. Cr. O’Brien said that the district already had a Railway League that was quite sufficient to deal with railway matters. They had been granted an electric power district, and a power board had now to be elected. The district covered a radius of nine miles from Opunake, and embraced the whole of the southern part of the county, and as far as Rahotu in the north. The district could easily be extended to embrace the whole of the county, as there was sufficient* power in the Waiau district to generate electricity for the whole county if they wished to join in. He pointed out that the Progress League had no power to give them. New Plymouth would>4iot join in with them, and the Government could not compel New Plymouth to join. The Progress League was therefore no good to Opunake, which would get its power quicker by going on its own.

QUESTION OF SUPPLY.

The chairman pointed out that Mr. Birks’ report showed that in order to adequately supply the whole of the Taranaki population an additional 8400 horse-power would need to be installed, and how could they get that from New Plymouth ? Cr. O’Brien: “Impossible.” Continuing, the chairman pointed out that the power board formed over the whole of Taranaki could strike any rate it liked. It therefore behoved the council to go very carefully. Regarding their own scheme, he favored embracing the whole county, as if they had a district as suggested with a nine-mile radius they would leave a lot of their ratepayers out. , Or. Tosland hoped there would be power available for the whole county. Cr. O’Brien asked w'.hether the district from Rahotu to Puniho was prepared to come in. He pointed out that the Opunake scheme was no wild’cat, but had the approval of Mr. Toogood. The Town Board’s consulting engineer had approved of \ the scheme, and the Government engineer (Mr. Birks) had said that there was ample power to supply a radius of nine miles. If Jfhe storage was increased the area of supply could be increased.

Cr. Chapman said that he always had understood that the limit of the Opunake scheme was the nine-mile radius, and that his end of the district would be left out. It was news to him that it could be extended to include Rahotu and that end of the county. He was convinced that every one in Rahotu and elsewhere would come in, because they looked to the Opunake scheme as the only one that would be of real benefit to them. They could not look to New Plymouth, as the power from there was going the other way.

NEW PLYMOUTH’S RIGHTS;

Cr. O’Brien said there would be no opposition to that portion of the .district being included. Opunake would not object, and New Plymouth would not object, as they did not want to give their power to everyone. He considered that the New Plymouth people were entitled to any advantages they could derive. They had taken charge of the matter in a public-spirited way x and now they had brought it to a successful point. He was opposed to it being taken away from them. The price would be subject to Government supervision. There would be no objection from New Plymouth, Opunake or the Government if the district from Rahotu to Puniho wished to be included.

Cr. Toeland thought that with a number of small boards there would be ends of different counties left out. If the radius could be extended, every district could be covered when the. board was merged in the larger district, he considered the establishment of their own power board would be the best; but he would like the area made large enough to include every ratepayer. Cr. O’Brien thought that the council should appoint representatives to place the matter before the ratepayers in the county outside the nine-mile. radius, and give them a chance of joining the power district. A meeting of the provisional committee would be held in Opunake this week. He also pointed out that one of the conditions of the formation was that the district should merge into the 'larger district when that was ready to begin. It would bo useless, he thought, electing a board and then have the rest of the district desire to come in. The chairman said that it would bo better to get the opinion of the engineer as to whether sufficient power could be obtained to supply the whole county without making the cost of the scheme prohibitive, RADIUS OF POWER BOARD. After further discussion, no action was taken, it being understood that the power board should be established at once within the nine-mile radius, .and that any other portions of the county wishing to come in could apply to the power board, In connection with the proposal to form an electric power board for Taranaki, the I'u.blle Warks Department for-

warded a copy of a report (already published) by the chief electrical engineer (Mr. L. Birks), who recently visited Taranaki,

The Taranaki Progress League also asked the council’ to allow a petition praying for the formation of a power board to be taken charge of by the [ clerk, in order that ratepayers might sign the same. On the motion of Crs. O’Brien and Tosland, it was resolved that, in view of the intention of the Egmont County Council to set up a power board in the district, and that the power board is prepared to merge into a provincial power board once the latter is formed, there is no need for the petition.