WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18135, 26 July 1924, Page 12

WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME.

POSITION OF COUNTRY districts. fears allayed. "T m informed," said the Mayor (Mr J- A. Flesher) yesterday tiu.t somn country people are holding tl. idea that they will not be given the opportunity of sharing equitably in the benefits to be derived from the aim kariri power scheme promoted by the Uiristchurch City Council, and that, m consequence the BUI authoring the Council to raise sufficient money to pay lor the works as recommended by Hawley and Co. will be opposed by country members of Canterbury in the House. "There is no reason for any such fear The Council have no idea whatsoever of doing anything which mil prejudice the country interests m any way. Quite the contrary. The Council already have power to establish a hydro-electric station on the riri, and to raise a quarter of a million for the purpose. That sum, however, will be inadequate to establish a plant reasonably sufficient for the needs of the city and district, and the present intention is to gain authority by legistiation to increase the amount that may "be borrowed bv the city for the purpose No district other than the city will be under any financial or other obligation in relation to the proposed works. , . ~ "1 hear it said that the country districts havo n& assurance of liberal treatment in the matter of the supply of current from the Wr.imakarin station. When I saw in Wellington reI oently the Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Works, and I city and country members of Parliament I made it quite clear fcliat the city of Christehtirch did not intend to play the part of the dog m the manger, but was quite willing to allow otiu-rs to share in the benefits which would accrue from the carrying out of the Waimakariri scheme. One lifts only to consider the generous treatment already accorded by the city to adjacent dist i'ts to understand how unlikely it is that anything* unfair or unreasonable towards country districts would he permitted by tho Council, The borough of New Brighton to-day ia being supplied with electricity by *tho city on exactly the same terms as are paid by the city consumers. Furthermore, when the borough of Woolston and the Papanui district were incorporated with the city the Council spent between £7OOO and £BOOO of its own moneys to bring the electrical installations'in those districts up to the city standard, The Council, End it wanted to be hard, could have required the districts concerned to pay for that work, but it had no desire to act otherwise than generously. t "The country districts have everything to gain by supporting the City Council in the Waimakariri proposal and everything to lose by opposing the oity in its endeavours to obtain authority to proceed with a scheme which waa beyond question in the interests of the whole district of North Canterbury. I feel sure that the Council would lie wiling to have included in any Act that may be passed a clause providing for reasonable protection to outside districts. The Council has already offered the Public Works Department to supply that Department with current' from tho AVaima"kariri works at the actual cost to the Council plus five per cent. That provision alone would enable the 'Government to give any outside district 33 cheap a sunnly as can reasonably be expected. Tho Council is also willing not to take any country customers which would prejudice the business of the Public Works Department. "The country districts may not revise what they owe to the city in the matter of electricity supply, for were it not for the demand in tho city .of Christchunoh the country districts "to-day would have no source of supply at all." /