OUR WASTE WATER POWER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 43, 19 February 1908, Page 4

OUR WASTE WATER POWER.

We arc pleased to learn from the Pre- • mier's public utterances that the Govern- . > nient has modified its policy in Tcspcct ' to the utilisation of water-power by electrical conversion for industrial purposes. ' Some time back, before adequate reports were aiailable as to the extent of our ■ resources in this direction, Government was disinclined to sanction schemes pro- • posed by private enterprise. As long as '■> the State was prepared to undertake the • work of harnessing this waste power of • many of our streams no reasonable exception could be taken to the exclusion of ! the private individual from this field; and c until experts had enquired into the ques- } t'wn no data was at the disposal of Mm- i ' istcrs by which an estimate could be : t arrived at as to the cost and suitability ' of the Dominion's natural resources in - this particular. Reports, which, while - not very detailed, may be relied upon in 1 general outline, have since been made, i They show that almost unlimited horsepower is going to waste in many of our 1 streams, but they also show that the t capital required to provide electrical 1 power for anything like general use '* throughout the Dominion would run into many millions of pounds. In the present state of the country's development it was , incumbent upon the Government to consider very carefully whether money was available for the initiation of a work which once started would require to be steadily extended over the whole of New Zealand. 5 Ministers have decided that in view of the L demands on loan money for railways and roads they would not be justified - in raising money for this purpose. In this we believe that Government is well . advised. But having come to the conclusion j that the time is not opportune for the commencement of a scheme of power ' conversion, the State, in our opinion, " should not prevent private enterprise ! stepping in und making use of one of s o-.iv natural resources that is now goj ing to waste. The reports that have tmofl eeqwed dealing with the subject 1 fin in show that the cost of conveying iov distribution such great natural

sources of power as the Huka Falls to centres of commercial activity is so I great that financial success is doubtful, but there are available in various parts less ambitious projects that would greatly assist our manufacturing industries. In Norway and Switzerland, where the harnessing of this waste power of running -water has attained more general use than in most other countries, the installations are for the most part on a comparatively small scale. The snow-fed mountain torrent is brought into requisition for a scheme where the electrical energy it produces is made use of in the vicinity. The configuration of our country does not lend itself with equal readiness to the general production of electricity, but there are localities where suitable water power is available for moderate sized installations, and the Government should be willing to facilitate the use of these. Certain restrictions are necessary in granting privileges in this connection, and they should on no account be omitted. For one thing resumption by the State on equitable terms should be safeguarded, and the possibility of the establishment of preferential rates, aa, mentioned by Sir Joseph Ward in his speech at Hamilton, should be excluded by the most stringent provisions. With proper regulation the water power of the Dominion, harnessed to the uses of trade, would be a valuable asset in the prosperity of the country.