POWER FOR WAITEMATA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 301, 20 December 1926, Page 10

POWER FOR WAITEMATA.

A DELAYED SUPPLY. THE MINISTER EXPLAINS. The delay that has occurred in the supply of hydro-electricity for the Waitemata district was referred to in a letter from the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. BL S. Williams ). which was received at a meeting of the Waitemata Power Board this morning. The Minister said that he had -carefully gone into the matter, and he attributed the delay to a series of difficulties. In the first place, delay occurred over the requirements of the Defence Department at the Hobsonville aerodrome, and the opposition of some local authorities between Penrose and Takapuna in regard to location of portions of the transmission line. Even with those difficulties it would, have been possible to have given a snpply by the end of November last, but for an unfortunate accident —the dropping of a bundle of tower legs into Auckland Harbour as they were being unloaded. The lacier could not be replaced in New Zealand, and an order for urgent delivery had to be cabled to Canada. "I think you must agree that the Department made every endeavour to give the supply by the due date." concluded lie Minister, "and has only failed by reason of events wholly outside its control. 2 ' The Chairman (Mr. J. W. Hayden!: No good purpose can be served by pursuing the matter further. Mr. Greenslade philosophically remarked that the delay might have been worse. It. was decided to: receive, the letter, and to r-h »*•*_- the Minister for-his reply.