IRON INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1921, Page 5

IRON INDUSTRY.

THE TARANAKI SCHEME. ENGLISH OFFER RENEWED. .... POWER REQUIREMENTS. COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE Discussion on the question of whether hydro-electric power is available from the New Plymouth works for a proposed iron and steel manufacturing industry to be established at Moturoa was renewed by the New Plymouth Borough Council at last night’s meeting. Mr. Percy S. Leggatt, representing Messrs. Summerson and Sons, England, with whom the council have had a number of previous communications, wrote, under date July 30, acknowledging receipt of the following cable from the council: “Have arranged finance smaller proposed scheme. Question proceeding with larger depends what arrangements can be made sale larger portion output.” Referring to this, Mr. Leggatt said: “This cable is not very helpful to me. As I have frequently explained to you, my sole interest in New Plymouth is in the production of iron and steel from local ironsand deposits by electrical smelting furnaces at the breakwater. Unless I have the continuous service of at least 3000 kilowatts installation, such operations as I project will be commercially impracticable. Since your present power station is not able to supply my needs, and the required service can not be obtained elsewhere, I l am quite prepared to finance these extensions projected by your council, provided it will contract to rent me the service of at least 3000 kilowatts. Unless I am assured of this minimum service I shall be unable to assist the New Zealand Iron Ore Smelting and Manufacturing Company out of its difficulties, and it will be forced into liquidation, and so involve local residents in financial loss. I await your information on the subject as to whether your council is prepared to treat further.” In reply to the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson), the electrical engineer (Mr. R. H. Bartley) suggested that as Mr Leggatt had an electrical representative in New Zealand (Mr. S. Taylor) he should authorise Mr. Taylor to confer with the council in regard to the schemes in the vicinity of this district, and he would then be able to advise as to the possibilities of securing power. It was perfectly obvious that the 3000 kilowatts continuous service could not come from the completed scheme. Cr. R. A. Large asked if the power could be got from the larger, scheme. Mr. Bartley, replying, said he was referring to the scheme the council had in hand, viz., 6000 h.p. on a basis of 45 per cent, load factor. It would mean double the water they had now if the council was to supply the town and district as on the present lines in addition to selling power to Mr. Leggatt. The Mayor said the whole question at issue centred on how big the town was to grow and what would be the requirements of the burgesses, apart from those of Mr. Leggatt. Cr. T. N. Blackhall said it seemed hardly worth bothering about; if they liid not have sufficient power to supply their own needs, why contemplate selling to other people? In reply to other questions, the engineer said that at its minimum flow the river produced 3000 h.p., but 3000 kilowatts continuously was equal to 4200 h.p. The water supply was therefore not sufficient to supply what was asked for, even cutting out everybody else. The only difference between the present scheme and the completed scheme was that the latter was going to add storage. If, however, they were going to use the water continuously, it was no use providing storage. Mr. W. J. Penn, who waited on the council in connection s with Mr. Leggatt’s communication, urged that the council should do everything possible to endeavor to meet Messrs. Summerson and Sons. After discussion it was decided: “That in view of the proposals of Messrs. Summerson a.nd Sons, the Government be requested to permit one of its electrical engineers to confer with the council and to report generally upon the possibilities of developing sufficient electric power to supply Summerson and Sons’ requirements.” It was decided to communicate with Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., asking his assistance in expediting this request. The Mayor said that possibly the visit of a Government engineer would be helpful, and in the meantime fie would ask leave to defer his notice of motion till next Monday night. This course was agreed to. In reply to Cr. V. Griffiths as to what the position would be in regard to the concreting of the tunnel, the Mayor said that there was plenty of work outside the tunnel, such as extending the tramline and fencing, to keep the employees occupied in the meantime.