TAP RESOURCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 128, 2 June 1938, Page 7

TAP RESOURCES.

U.S. AND CANADA.

Scheme to Develop Great Lakes

And St. Lawrence.

TERMS OF TENTATIVE TREATY,

United Press Association.—Copyright. WASHINGTON, June 1. The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, has submitted to the Canadian Government for its approval a tentative treaty for the development of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin, envisaging the reciprocal production of cheap power and a waterway to the seh, tapping; vast mineral resources and giving both nations a powerful defence weapon in the event of war.

The treaty would give the United States one of the biggest hydro-electric power plants in the world, remote enough to be safe from enemy bombers, but close enough to supply the vast eastern industrial area with emergency power should the existing facilities be I

blown up. Mr. Hull said the United States would be prepared to hurdle the first major obstacle by financing the development of the international rapids of the St. Lawrence River to provide a channel for seaborne commerce and make possible the development of power from the rapids whenever it was desired by cither countrv.

He proposed that a commission should prepare plans for the project, and allocate the construction between the two Governments, and should also devise plans for the further development of power at Niagara Falls, while preserving the scenic beauty of the falls.

In July, 1932, a treaty was signed by the Secretary or State, Mr. H. L. Stinison, and the Canadian Minister, Mr. Herridge, arranging for co-operation in completing a 2000-mile channel 27ft deep for oceangoing vessels through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence to the sea. The treaty also provided for allocation of the electric power (about 2,000,000 h.p.), .to be developed from dams to be built on the 120-mile stretch of the St. Lawrence Rapids, to Canada and to Sew York State, which agreed to contribute about 00.000.000 dollars of the estimated share of the United States 1260,000.000 dollars! of the total cost. This treaty, however, was never given effect owing to various political disagreements.

The project called for two dams, Canada to build and maintain one at Crysler Island, and the United States another to provide a deep passage at Barnhart Island.