WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20025, 5 September 1930, Page 11

WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME.

FALL IN FLOW. FIGURES NOT OFFICIAL. HISTORY OF THE PROJECT. Enquiries made by,- Tee Press yesterday do not altogether support statements made at a meeting of the Canterbury Progress League on Wednesday evening of the extent of a fall in the flow of the Waimakariri river during the last six months. The General Manager of the Municipal Electricity Department (Mr 15. Hitchcock) asserts that the minimum flow has never fallen below 950 cusccs and that, in any case, it was never intended that the Waimakariri scheme alone should supply the City with power. The inter-connexion of the Waimakariri and Lake Coleridge systems had always been definitely contemplated, and the fear that one of these systems might be hard-pressed did not arise. Mr Hitchcock thought it significant that the season which had so abnormally lowered the level of Lake Coleridge had affected the minimum flow of the Waimakariri by less than 10 per cent. The ultimate development of the Waimakariri proposed a scheme for the conservation of water which would make it independent of the minimum flow.

Gauge of Minimum Plow. In 1924 a curve drawing gauge was installed near the dam site at Otarama Gorge in the Waimakariri, and regular observations have since been taken of both the level and the flow of the river. Since 1926 the minimum flows each year have been: 1926 ... ... 1600 cusecs. 1927 ... ... 1600 cusecs. 1928 ... ... 1320 cusecs. 1929 ... ... 1430 cusecs. Because of the exceptional drought this year, the 'flow has fallen in common with the flow into Lake Coleridge and that of every river in the district. Comparative figures, as placed before the Progress League by its organiser (Mr P. R. Climie), were as follows: Cusecs. 1930. 1929. March .. 1,000 1,500 April .. 950 1,600 May .. " 900 1,500 June .. 1,000 1,500 July .. 900 1,800 August .. 900 1,500 , In fixing the plant capacity, the Hawley report assumed a mid-winter minimum flow of 1000 cusecs, and not of 1200, as stated by Mr Climie. The figures given to the League were not official, added Mr Hitchcock. The minimum flow had been no lower than 950 cusecs, and at present it was about 975 cusecs. The Waimakariri Scheme.

Tho Progress League's discussion lias recalled the scheme for developing the City's own source of power from the Waimakariri which has at ■ different times been prominent for the past 30 years. The history of the proposal is long and complicated. Following reports by Mr A. Dudley Dobson and Mr Joshua Little, in the 'nineties, the City presented an Enabling Bill to Parliament asking permission to raise money for the development of the Waimakariri. In 1902, the Electric Power and Loan Empowering Act was passed, empowering the City to develop the river above the gorge bridge and to raise for that purpose a total of about £300,000. There was some opposition to the scheme from the land-owners in the district because of its threat to their supplies' of water for irrigation. The attention of the City was at the same time diverted to the Lake Coleridge scheme, and this was investigated in 1908, a few months before the Government took it over and declared for the nationalisation of power supply in New Zealand. A contract extending until March, 19215, was subsequently made with the Public Works Department. ,

In January, 1922, the Council made enquiries from the Public Works Department of the terms and conditions on which its contract would be renewed after March, 1925, and was advised that standard rates and a fiveyear contract would be offered. Further correspondence made clear that although the Council was the largest consumer on the Lake Coleridge system, thin fact would not be recognised by the offer of any special wholesale rates. In August, 1922, the Council accordingly decided to investigate the possibilities of the alternative of supply from tin Waimakariri at Otarama. The. services of Messrs C. B. Hawley and Company, hydro-electric engineers of Washington, U.S.A., were secured to report on the proposed development, and after the company's engineer, Mr H. V. Bchreiber, had made the local investigation, the report was received in Christchurch on July 9th, 1923.

Attempt to Increase Power. On July 11th, 1923, a letter was received from the Public Works Department making a special offer of standard rates lesß ten per cent., with £7 per k.v.a. for all load in excess of 5000 k.v.a. A covering report was prepared containing estimated generating costs from the proposed Waimakariri plant. Copies of the Hawley report and thifr covering report, were submitted to the Council and to the Public Works Department on July 30th. The report M't'no doubt of the desirability of the Otarama proposal and in order to adapt the original Act Of 1902, to the requirements of present-day demands, the Council promoted ah Enabling Bill in order to increase from £300,000 to £900,000 its borrowing powers under that Act. Evidence was twice given before the Local Bills Committee of Parliament. The . Committee, however, reported against the proposal, and the amendment of the Act as passed provided for increased expenditure for the investigation only. This modification of the Act was accepted legally as evidence that the 1902 Act was still valid. On August 21st, 1923, the Minister for Public Works in Parliament made" an offer to the Canterbury members to supply the City at "Waimakariri rates," meaning the estimated rates in the covering report prepared. This satisfied some of the members supporting the Bill. During the remaining months of 1923, and throughout 1-924, deputations, statements, counter-statements, reports, and interviews followed in an attempt to find an interpretation of the term "Waimakariri rates," which would be acceptable to both parties and in the framing of a suitable guarantee clause protecting the Council in the event of an additional supply not being available by *he date promised. Decision in 1925. A decision was not reached until April 3rd, 1925, at a conference in Wellington between the Miniater for Poblie