DEMAND FOR POWER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 204, 28 August 1943, Page 4

DEMAND FOR POWER

CONCERN IN SOUTH LINK ACROSS COOK STRAIT (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Rumours emanating from the North Island that electric power should be transferred from the South Island to the North by undersea cables across Cook Strait have caused considerable concern in Christchurch, and steps have been taken to trace the origin of the rumours and to register an emphatic protest. These rumours were aired at a meeting of the development committee of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association, when it was stated that such a project had been mooted, and it was understood that the necessary cable for it was available. Inquiries made showed that a scheme of the kind would be feasible.

The meeting decided to oppose any suggestion to transmit power to the North Island. It was realised that the power position in the North Island was in a precarious state.

When asked whether he had heard of any suggestion for laying cables across Cook Strait, the resident electrical engineer (Mr. L. S. Payne) said it had been mooted at odd times, but not in a serious way. He had not heard anything about it recently. He said that such a scheme was feasible and had been carried out in other countries.