A PAHIATUA DEPUTATION

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10110, 4 October 1910, Page 5

A PAHIATUA DEPUTATION

TO HARNESS MAKURI WATERS,

The prospects of the Makuri Gorge as a medium for generating Electrical energy were brought under 'the notice of Sir Joseph Ward yesterday morning by a deputation from Pahiatua, introduced by Mr Ross, >M.P. Mr P. b-'. Hay, late Superintending Engineer to t.he PuDlie Works Department, reported favorably on the prospects of the scheme in 1904. 'lhe deputation suggested the possibility of deriving enough power to electrically light Pahiatae, Woodville, falmerston, and Masterton, a proposal that had been favorably reported on by an English expert, with the result that proposals were made for the establishment of a company with a capital of £200.000, The oeputation now asked that, as the locality had supplied reports, and the ]«te Mr Seddan had promised to promote , a Bill to carry out the work, and that Makuri should b= one of the first to be de- ' veloped,. the Government should; «ive the local bodies an opportunity j to do the work. i The Prime Minister said the mat*

ter waa one of genera 1 policy. One place could not be treated differently from another, 'lhe Government

could not give permission to one local body to carry out the work and not to give it to another. The policy of the Government was to do the most urgent work 011 the basis of an expenditure of half a million a year.