ELECTRIC POWER.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1921, Page 8

ELECTRIC POWER.

FOR SOUTH TARANAKI,

INTERESTING DISCUSSION

A conference of representatives of, South Taranaki local bodies was held at Hawera on Monday evening to consider the question of the supply of electricity for South Taranaki. The Mayor (Mr. E. Dixon, M.P.) presided, and said the Minister of Public Works had stated that the Government preferred one power board for the whole of the province. This idea did not meet with the approval of New Plymouth. If it would not be possible to have a single, power board they might consider whether they should not negotiate with a view to the purchase of the Hawera Electric Lighting Company’s plant, the power of which might be increased so ,as to provide for requirements for the next five or six years. After that they might be able to go in for a larger scheme. Mr. Birks had written stating that he would prefer them to go in with the whole of Taranaki rather than join with Wanganui, from which place there would be nothing to prevent them purchasing power later if it was available. With regard to the New Plymouth scheme, they would have seen from the papers that power could not be supplied to a certain company, which would indicate that the supply was very limited at present. At Hawera they were at the extreme end of the Karioi and the New Plymouth schemes, and they did not wish-tn join up with either to discover later that they had selected the wrong one:

Mr. T. McPhillips (Waiinate. County Council), said that the members of the Progressive League favored one big board for Taranaki. If they had one board they would have to find out what the different available sources would supply. With regard to the Hawera Electric Company, they were already unable to meet demands. He did not think that there was a possibility of getting sufficient power from one source for Taranaki. Ho believed that New Plymouth had been the cause of the failure to form one board. New Plymouth had a certain amount of power available, but they wanted to develop it. in their own way and in their own time. There was a district from Stratford down to Eltham which was cutting in, and intended to obtain power from New Plymouth. He thought it unfair for any part to go in for a separate scheme. It was very hard to know what to do. but it was up to the people, of this district to try and form a board and see what power was available. Large sums of money were being sent • away now for benzine, and if they ! could get something cheaper to take its place it was their duty to do so. They should have the services of a qualified engineer, and if there was not enough power in New Plymouth they should see what they could do at their own

end. Mr. Cameron (Hawera Borough Council) was of the opinion that there were 1000 h.p. in sight from this source, and ho believed that £50,000 would give them that, and if the company £50,000 the first year’s profits would pay interest at 7 per cent. The company had 302 now customers last year. He thought that, roughly, they could accommodate, with the increased power that would ho available, 4000 people. Mr. Lewis (Hawera Borough Council), said throe experts wore of the opinion that a scheme sufficient for 30 or 35 years could be developed for South Taranaki. He suggested the appointment of a small committee to investigate.

Mr. Christie (Manaia Town Board), said that Manaia had a contract with the Electric Light Company to'suppiy electricity which terminated in 1924. The supply was ample and the price low. Apparently the Electric Light Company was making good profits, but a,s time went on these profits would disappear. Mr. Osborne (Hawera) said last year the Hawera company increased the price to the consumer by one penny per unit, and that represented a profit of £150(1 Without this increase the profits would have been very small. Mr. T. A. Bridge (Waimate County Council) pointed out that the difficulty with the Waingongoro was that the volume of water in the stream was not maintained evenly all the year round. There was a certain time of the year, especially when the farmers would went to link up. when there was not the water in the river to give the power that would be needed. He did not see how they could get the power required unless they went in for a Diesel engine. Even if they dammed the river twice, doubling the power, they would not have sufficient for the whole district they had in view.

The Mayor said they wore agreed that there should be one power board. The next question was were they prepared to link up with the Progressive League and pay their share of the cost of a report. A good deal had been said about the coal at Ohura, which, it had been stated, was sufficient to supply power for Stratford and even down to Hawera. Their information on the matter was not definite enough. Mr. McPhillips said they should ask the Progressive League to call another meeting and see what the League could do. He would move that the meetin,v. favored one board and. failing this, committee be set up with a view tc going into the question of forming a local board and investigating the extent of local sources of supply. Mr. Christie thought they should stick to the scheme they had. The Mayor pointed out that with one nower board New Plymouth would have to come in. Mr. Reid did not blame the Nev Plymouth people, and said it was the Government’s fault that one section was able to take advantage of another section. Their rivers wore for the whole of the Dominion, and not for any particular body.—Abridged from Star.