THE WAIMAKARIRI POWER SCHEME.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12896, 30 August 1907, Page 8

THE WAIMAKARIRI POWER SCHEME.

TO THE *DlTon O* "THE TRESS. ,,

Sir,—lt is surely to be regretted if the opposition of the WaimakanriAshky Water Supply Board cannot 6e equitably removed. I venture to 6ay that there is much misapprehension about the point in dispute. l'roin reading the reports I gather that ->ir M. Dixon has strenuously insisted that the minimum flow is as low as (j*' , cubic feet per second. Preposterous as this appears when compared with tho statements made by other witnesses ot not inferior experience, let us accept it for the moment lor the sake of argument, and what <loes it amount to? It would bo the minimum flow which only occurs iv the winter during an exceptionally dry season, and then only for a week or a lew days. The question arises, can this remote and rare state of things be provided tor? I submit it can, in this way. Make a sump in the river where tao .said Board want their water. Station dynamos and pumps near, with suction pipe into said sump, convey power trom tho power house of the City Council across the river to said dynamos, and pump water into the Board's races. It must not be forgotten that tins minimum flow, always occurs .in the winter time, when the snow is not melted—tho very time that tho A.shley Board don't require it—at all other times there is moro than enough water for all parties. I claim no originality for this suggestion. It was mentioned to mc by a City Councillor about a year ago, an>I am surprised it has not seen the livriit before this. I especially wish to draw Air Ruddenklau'h attention to it, as his letter in to-day's "Press" breathes a conciliatory spirit, and I hopo that He will try to influence his co-members in the same direction.

Rocontly an association was formed, having tho objoct of advertising the advantages of Cliristchurcli and Canterbury. I say, don't put the cart oeforo the horee. Get your power scheme and canal constructed, and then you can legitimately attract population here.

Mr Ruddenklau's name has been associated with the progress of Chriatchurch in the past—may I appeal Oo him now to uso his host efforts to remove all impediments to her further progressP—Yours, etc., RATEPAYER. August 29, 1907. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE THESS." Sir, —Could you give mc a small space in respoct to the 'Mayor's statement about gauging the flow of water in the übovo river? According to your report June, July, and August have been taken as tho time of smallest flow. For about twenty-five years I studied the river with the object of taking water from it for irrigation purposes, and found that December and January, and sometimes extending into February, was when tho least flow took place, after the north-west winds of the spring and early summer had dried the south-west faces and melted the snow. Tho Mayor, in his statement, overlooked the fact that the Selwyn Council takes the whole of tho water of a very large tributary in dry seaeons, and atill demand 60 cubic feet per second. Tho ratepayers of Christchurch would be bettor served and more secure of the power, if tho water were taken from the Rock Ford, at a cost of, say. £5000 more (I don't think it woiila cost any more), than to temporise with tho other governing bodies, and allow the water to return to the river beforo reaching their intakes. I em a wellwisher to the city's scheme.—Yours, JOHN DOBSON.