D.—lA.

Waihi Falls, Webee. These falls are situated on the Waihi River, seventeen miles from Dannevirke, and five and a quarter miles from Weber in a straight line. The drainage-area of the river above the falls is forty-six square miles, and a considerable portion is of fairly high elevation. The Puketoi Range, forming the western boundary for a distance of eight miles, is from 2,200 ft. to 2,630 ft. in height. There is probably a considerable rainfall over the river-basin, and, if the water could be cheaply stored, a considerable amount of power could be obtained. Without considerable survey-work it is not possible to say how much of the flood-water could be stored. The appearance of the valley above the falls is, however, not such as to give hopes of good results if a dam were built. I gauged the river at the suspension bridge above the falls. The flow was about 45 cubic feet per second, and this was not the low-water flow —being I think somewhat above it. There is a slight rapid above the fall and a rapid below the fall. The total height for power purposes, making no allowance for flood back-water, would be, say, 90 ft. A turbine might be placed to get this head by using a draught-tube and noting that the flood would likely be higher in the channel above than below the falls, or could be made so at trifling expense. The power obtainable from the flow I measured would not be more than about 360 b.h.p. on the turbine-shaft. I think it is probable that the extreme low-water flow would give considerably less than the above amount of power, say 250 to 300 b.h.p. A power-station would best be placed just below the rapid below the fall, on the left bank. The distance the water need be taken is very short. The fall in the river above and below the falls is not sufficient to justify the cutting of any length of race. Starting, say, from the suspension footbridge and going a mile or more below the falls, the additional height to be got is not great enough to compensate for cost of work, risk of interruptions by the failure of the race, &c. The width of river-channel above the fall is about 120 ft. The banks are very steep, and 40 ft. to 50 ft. deep. If a curved dam, say, 45 ft. high, were built, extra head would be got, also some storage, which would last for a considerable time until the river silted up the reservoir so formed. Taking the upper 10 ft. for storage, and taking a plant working full power twelve hours a day, or its equivalent spread over two shifts of sixteen hours a day, I think a plant of 800 to 900 b.h.p. could be worked without any great risk of the failure of the water-supply. If a favourable site just above the falls could he got for a curved dam — i.e., with solid papa to butt the ends of the dam against, it should not cost more than about £7,000, and perhaps be worth this amount in the event of any power scheme being installed at these falls. At the time of my visit the flow in the Akitio River just below Weber was 20 cubic feet per second, from a drainage-area of forty-seven square miles. This is a small result, and if the flow in the Waihi fell so low as this, the above estimates for probable amounts of power would be much too high. The hills forming the western and northern, boundaries of the Akitio are about 1,000 ft. to 1,200 ft. lower than those on the western boundary of the Waihi; also there is a considerable extent of open country as well so that a lower rate of flow per square mile may reasonably be expected from the Akitio than from the Waihi basin. The destruction of forest on the Puketois will tend, however, to lower the lowwater flow of the Waihi. Makuei. There is a fall of about 330 ft. in about two and a quarter miles in the Makuri Gorge, starting from the ford below the township. The water could be taken from the river a little below the ford. The drainage-area of the river-basin above this point is about thirty-eight square miles. The hill-peaks encircling the river-basin range in height from 1,867 ft. to 2,634 ft. A fairly good and reliable rainfall may therefore be expected to prevail. The flow of the stream at the time of my visit was slightly over 40 cubic feet per second, but the stream was probably somewhat above its lowest level. The flow I measured in the stream would give, at a power-station at the sheep-pens, about two and a quarter miles below the ford, a little over 1,100 b.h.p. continuously, but for low-water flow I would not at present put the power available at more than 600 to 700 b.h.p. until reliable data as to low-water flow is obtained. With a small reservoir sufficient to store surplus water when a plant was not working, perhaps 1,300 b.h.p. could be got for about twelve hours each day. The water would be carried along the side of the gorge by drives in the rock, race, flume, or pipes, as deemed best. If a large reservoir were made by building a sufficiently high dam just below the ford, and all the water stored, I should expect to get a powerstation to give 3,000 b.h.p. continuously, or 6,000 b.h.p. for twelve hours each day. A considerable volume for storing water could be got in the valley above the ford. Whether it would be sufficient to store all the rainfall running off could only be determined by survey, and by the collection of reliable data as to the flow of the stream. A large reservoir would mean making new roads up the gorge, and about Makuri the loss of some houses and land. This, with the cost of the dam, might make the scheme somewhat costly ; nevertheless it seems probable that a power scheme of the above character, if all the flow of the Makuri could be conserved, would be a success. One objection to the building of a dam is that fissures may exist in the limestone rock and cause leakage. If the water were carried further down stream, more power would be got. The river appears to fall about 20 ft. per mile from the sheep-pens to its junction with the Tiraumea, and the fall seems much greater near the gorge. I think about half to three-quarters of a mile longer race would give a considerable increase in power. . The stream is a good one for a small power scheme, even if only a small reservoir is built. Wellington. For the supply of power to Wellington City and surrounding districts, there is first to be ascertained whether any power schemes are to be obtained in any of the rivers rising in the high peaks of the southern Tararuas, where there is undoubtedly a heavy annual rainfall. These rivers are the Hutt,

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