MANGAHAO POWER

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19462, 8 November 1928, Page 10

MANGAHAO POWER

"AMATEUR CRITICISM."

PRIME MINISTER REPLIES.

[THB PBESB Special Service.] LEVIN, November 7. A vigorous reply to the criticism which has been levelled at the Mangahao hydro-eiectrio power scheme was made by the Prime Minister (Mr Coates) at Shannon to-day "I say definitely that the criticism of Mangahao is coming from peoph) who are not competent to criticise the project," ! the Prime Minister said. "They do not realise why Mangahao was laid out. It is part of the scheme which takes ih the Arapuni and Wai» karenjoana hydroelectric undertakings. It was necessary to have a feeder service at the southern end of ike island to drive power to Wellington, the ManawatU, and the Wairarapa, and a decision had to be made as to which stream should be usecL Mangahao or the Hiitt, From a feeder point of view there was no doubt Mangahao was the best. The estimates for the work were prepared during the wair,' and, like, most other estimates,of that period, they did not cover the costs of post-war construction*" It had to be remembered, Mr Coates continued, that when electricity was sent over long distances there were losses of current, and when the losses exceeded seventeen per cent, the tranSr missiou ceased to be profitable. Mangahao was never intended to be a profit-earning scheme by itself. It was a feeder station, but in the year before laßt it earned three per cent., and it appeared that it earn fire to seven per cent, before very long. "Mangahao will stand the closest examination by competent men,'' tho Prime Minister continued, "but no scheme will stand the amateur criticism of politicians or of engineers who, while they have the diplomas, are unreliable. I know some of those engineers will go any length to get their own way. ] know some of them would not stoji at graft. We will not stand thut. They are putting their interests Wore those of the publio, We say the public interest is paramount," (Applause.)