WATER POWER.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5568, 26 October 1910, Page 4

WATER POWER.

THE KAITUNA SCHEME

In the course of a criticism of the G overnuient's •H^ter-power scheme recently, Mr F/ Black, electrical engineer, mentioned that it was proposed to transmit power from the Ivaituna River to Auckland, a distance of 130 miles. 'Mr Black said tkat it was not even known, whether 'the energy could bo transmitted 150 , miles under our climatic conditions. The Prime Minister replied to this j criticism last week by stating that Power was transmitted' in other countries thn.t Ivad noi such a £uod climate as> New Zealand; and over I' longer distances. He quoted the supplies in Norway, .which-were carried over 138 ana 126 miles, in America [over 147 and 142 miles, and in Spain over 150 miles. It was proposed to su[j))ly Johannesburg (South Africa) from the Victoria Falls, 300 miles away.

Sir Joseph. Ward also quoted from Mr Hay's report to show that the power could be supplied from Kaikuna to Auckland at £o 10s per horse-power per annum, ami steampower w"ould cost nearly £20 per horse-power per annum. The power could, therefore, be delivered in Auckland at. a rate that would defy the competition of njstcatn- plant. His (Sin Joseph's) estimate had been above 31 r Hay's, because 'he had alI lowed £10 per horse-power, nob £5 |los.

MR BLACK REPLIES. Speaking to a Post reporter subsequently, Mr Black-'declared'that Mr Hay, in his reports, had shnply endeavoured to determine the horsepower of -which th« different falls were capable. He had never made any investigation of-the market for such power as might be generated, and his ligtires for tho cost of power delivered were (based: on the assumption that the whole power that could be delivered in any market would be sold. 51 r Hay never attempted, and never oven intended to attempt, to estimate i lho probable consumption of energy from any water power schemes in any nmrKcib that could be supplied, iby tlia undertakings he had investigated. In the preface of his main report, he states that the revenue has <boeiv computed on the assumption that the power paid for is 150 per cent., of the brake horse-power at the turbine shafts, twelve pounds a year per brake ln>i\se-power being charg<xt for continuous AVDrltingv Anyone Avillj therefore realise that the. cost per. horsepower per annum in tiny- market, as given by Mr Hay, is not estimated on live probable revenue, but is simply an indication of what would be the case if all the energy -obtainable from a water-power alation could bo sold.

WitU regard l\> tin.- rrhno, Minister's point about the- problem of transmission, ilr Black said that tho quotation from, the article was not complete. What he hail sakl there was: ">io one oven knows whether energy, can be transmitted-130 miles under our climatic conditions, with sufficient freedom from insulator -anti high voltage troubles, to enable a reasonable continuous supply to be maintained, irrespective oV the matter of cost." The climatic conditions were chiefly those of a moist, humid atmosphere, not favourable for high tension transmission oven long distances. In any case, the veriest layman would understand that a centre such as Auckland could not afford to depend'lor its entire power and lighting- on an undertaking, subject to such contingencies, ot breakdown as a high tension transmission over 300 miles long..

Speaking on the Aid to Water Power Works Bill later in the week, the I'rime Minister sakl tile report of 31 r Jilack admitted that there would be 'markets for the Hutt -and Lake Coleridge schemes, but <l<»nied that there was a market for the Kaituna cheme. This, however, was incorrect. The Kaituna scheme would be available for the mines, Iho Thames, the Waikato, the city of * Auckland) and the Bay of Plenty. . •

31 r F. M. B. Kisher asked if it was proposed to acquire municipalelectric works.

Sir .Joseph Ward said the (Jovernment schemes wo»ild be available for tin* public as a business concern and if the local bodies .were able to supply puwvr as cheaply as the <!overnmenC no doubt the ratepayers' would patronise them. It was quite-- possible oir.e arrangement would require to

made with local bodies that had incurred expenditure, but he could not "give details at present.