HORAHORA ELECTRIC WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 199, 22 August 1919, Page 5

HORAHORA ELECTRIC WORKS.

BOUGHT BY GOVERNMENT. POWER FOR WAIKATO. POSSIBLY FOR AUCKLAND. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Government has purchased the Horahora electric works from the Waihi Gold Mining Co. The latter will still have what power it requires, and the Government will use the rest. PURCHASE PRICE, £212,500. t3y Xelegraph—SDeclal to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. The price paid by the Government to the Waihi Company in connection with the Horahora purchase was £212,500. Mr. Charles Rhodes, attorney for the Waihi Company, is at present in Wellington, in connection with this deal. The Horahora works are capable of producing from SSOO to 9000 h.p., but by adding a couple more units this could be increased by another 3000 h.p. The Waihi Company requires half the present power generated, so that there will be over 4000 h.p. for use in the Waikato. It is estimated that towns like Hamilton would not require much more than 200 head, so there will be plenty of power available for other places, and it might be possible to bring it as far as Auckland.

The Horahora electrical station is situated some miles below Arapuni, and will be most useful for providing lighting and power for at least a radius of fifty miles in the Waikato. It should have the added advantage of being in a position to supply the Waikato much more speedily than would be the case if power had to come when the works are completed at Arapuni. According to the statement of accounts of the Waihi Gold Mining Comjpany up to December 1, 1918, the total expenditure -to date was given as! £ 190,200 18/8. Of course, at the present cost of materials and labour such a plant would mean a much heavier expenditure. When deputations waited upon Cabinet Ministers urging that -the Government should acquire the Hora. Horn, station, the proposal was that New Zealand War Bonds should be taken by the Company in payment, also that the company should have the power it required furnished at a fixed rate for a long period. MR. E. W. PARRY'S REPORT. The report of Mr. E. W. Parry on an hydro-electric scheme estimated the total cost for the North Island at £7,500.000. This expenditure he claimed would be quickly recovered by direct and indirect savings resulting from cheap .power. Mc considered it would be recoverable within seven years. The power lie proposed to generate from Arapuni was 9ti,000 h.p., but there are ultimate possibilities of increasing that to 1(32,000 h.p. Meanwhile he suggested, generating another 40,000 h.p. at Waikaremoana, and 24,000 h.p. at MangaIroe, the latter being for Wellington district. The thirfie schemes Mr. Parry considered could bo carried out within ten years. Regarding Hora Hora, the report px>int« out that the power there could be increased by certain expenditure on the. head works.

A local electrical engineer stated that power could be transmitted from Hora. Hora to Auckland if new transformers were installed. He also saw no reason wh_v. under normal conditions, power should, not be available from Arapuni within four years. Meanwhile Hamilton, Cambridge and other places in the Waikato could be much more speedily catered for from Hora Hora.