HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Bruce Herald, Volume LV, Issue 66, 28 August 1919, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

PREItf MINARY' INVESTIGATIONS. ' " OLUTHA COUNTY VOTES £IOO. At Friday's .meeting of the Olutha County Council ,a letter was received from tho convener (Mr C. Todd) and secretary (Mr W. B. Steel) of the Otago Hydro-Electric Schema Committee, who wrote on behalf of the committee seating that in connection with the preliminary work resolved upon by a meeting of local bodies they looked to the Clutha .County Council for a sum of £IOO. 'Councillor North stated that " whilst in 'Tapanui the previous week he met Mr Rodger (chairman of the Southland Committee), - who was speaking, in that district on behalf of the Southland •scheme. 1 Mr Rodger said he would be very pleased) to addiress> meetings, in this district. He did not- want" to force the project oil' this district, to come dowhi'and' ventilate the matter. If .this: 'district' cam®■> into thok Southland' scheme now the subscribers would be placed on the same footing" aa the Southlandera .

•Councillor : Cumtming : said that the ; Glenkenieh Biding and* all the Waikoik.oi part of his.own riding: were joining ia with Southland l , and information I was now focfing! .collected, 'in* those' districts.'" Southland was not wishing' to get- into Otago in this matter, Ibut to come up to the; Blue* Mountains- as .aboundary. • . -Councillor Begg moved:, " That the council accede to the request' for tho payment of £IOO. '> "If "they were going to have power theywould 'have to make investigations. They would' save much ' money later on : by doing so.. 3list'ake3 would ibo certain to happen, 'but,the more extensive the investigations the more the mistakes would toe minimised. That, was a reasonable; policy, and so expense was necessary. The proposal of Southland was that' pending, the Otago scheme they would sell power in a wlock., Southland estimated that- within- seven" or 10 years they would have no power to spare, and all they proposed to do in the meantime was to supply'until the Otago scheme* was operating. There was yet no,'data as to tlic cost. South-' land I 'had got the farmers' to sign up for power, and the prices were : high' compared with: Waipori. It did; not even follow that : those' signing would) get electric- power, as a power 'board would have to 'be created and! the matter of cost to consumers would; have to- be gone into by it to seC' if A supply would; pay at the.prices stated. There was at present no statutory power, and the scheme was in the air in that respect. Mr Bodger had done a great work in the matter of ventilating the possi.'bilitics. He '(the speaker) had! been at the m'eeting of the com'mittc'c in Duiiedin the previous)'-night, and! the 'Southland proposal l was received favourably.* Southland estimated that 4heir.r. poWer: would) be going in tlneci years l ,;, bujt* there were some men with great, ex-, perience who doubted if they could- get any .scheme going with'in three years. However, three years-. ..would, certainly ibs'-aheadf'O'fl Otago. He would ■sorry if the ' Clutha County stood■ out of participating, in the negotiations in a. scheme that would! 'be of great benefit. , ' '■. ; ; Councillor' Christie' seconded the mo- , tion, but would' support Councillor North's suggestion to invite, Mr Rodger ! down here to provide! them' with some • facts- ■ :■

- ■ Councillor Cumining said that, the! two southern ridings were going into the South-land scheme, audi it would scarcely jbe fair to ask them to provide theirshare of the cost. Tlio'Chairman (Councillor Maginness) ■said that Maclennan, Riding would never, see electticity—a bush district like that. , •Councillor Begg said Southland would not 'have tlie power to supply later on. The maximum' power would 'be 23,000 h.p.,' andi they expected to ibe able 4o •absorT) all that in time. If the two 'rid- i ings mentioned 'had cnotributed to the investigations of t'liei Southland scheme, tiiis council would not ask then* to contribute herey 'but if not it would be an honour to contribute! now.

The Chairman thought the amount a small one, and ' the council should heartily "support the: proposal.- The Southland' scheme was not antagonistic, but helpful. ' Councillor 'Nortlv: jThc Dunedm City 'Council was opposed to the scheme, and therefore this'council should look to Southland. • : Councillor Begg said Southland could net supply. If the Monowai were Mly developed it- would, provide about 50 per cent, more than Waipori was capable of developing, but any one of the various : Otago schemto under, •would?: develop' five time's:, that; amount. Councillor North was wrong in saying that t'Ke- city council'was opposed! to the Otago scheme. :The chairman of the lighting, committee 'was a m'enilber of the committee to promote>• the Otago, scheme; '" I > ;y>' i The 'motion was carried, ..'v, * .