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ELECTRICITY FOR WESTLAND

Three Possible Sites To Be Surveyed

GOVERNMENT MAY BUILD WORKS [From Our Own Reporter.] HOKITIKA, - January; 18. Authority has been given by the Minister for Public Works (the Hon., R, Semple) for a survey to be made of three sites in South Westland with'

a view to the Government establishing hydro-electric works. This information was given by the Minister this afternoon in replying to a deputation at Kokotahi. The, sites are atKakapotahi, 20 miles south of Ross, at Toaroha and at Lake Kanieri, both of which are near Hokitika. The Minister indicated that if any of these sites were suitable he would approach the Cabinet for authority to have the work done. Mr M, Wallace, who was spokesman for the deputation, said a hydro-elec-tric scheme was necessary to provide

for the needs of the district. At present there was a scheme in operation controlled by a private company, with delegated powers from the Westland Power Board. He would not say that the scheme was unsatisfactory, but the general feeling of the people of the district was that it was an expedient. Only the establishment of a powergenerating plant at Toaroha was considered by the district as being desirable for the province, “We say that this scheme would provide definitely for all the future needs of Westland,” said Mr Wallace. “We say that with the available horsepower harnessed all the likely requirements for development of the various industries in the district would be provided. There are rumours that there is a possibility of power development taking place in South Westland, but this district believes that at least, one scheme in South Westland, if it. were to be developed to the maximum capacity, would require the destruction of a large area of some of the best land m that locality.”

Mr Wallace said that at present there was quite a large area of the district not yet reticulated, and it was not likely to be connected until residents were sure there would be a permanent supply. Minister’s Reply Replying to the request, Mr Semple said one of the principal reasons for his visit Was to investigate the possibilities of the establishment of a hydroelectric works in South Westland. He and the Hon. P. C. Webb had broken away from the Cabinet deliberations at an inconvenient time because of the urgent necessity of getting information about the generation »of electricity. “There is an Australian . company which has £750,000 available to spend on dredges in Westland,” he said, “and we feel it our duty to get the capital into the country as soon as possible. There is, too. a company; which has applied to the Government»for a license to generate power, but I want to say that no company will be given an opportunity of exploiting the power resources, and I believe hydro-electric works should be State controlled, so that the charges may be reduced, but expect that. tq. happen if we. hand,over our--national!resources to .private individuals, and we.arC-not going to do it.”

* T *L e Minister went oh to say that Mr A. Tyndall (Under-Secretary for the Mines Department), Mr C. J. McKenzie (Engineer-in-Chief of Public Works), and Mr F. T..M. Kissel .(Chief Electrical Engineer of the Public Works Department) held the same views as he about State control of hydro-elec-tric works; and he had given Mr Kissel instructions to. survey the three sites,-and when that was done he proposed to inspect the’ sites. It would be necessary to take into consideration the geological formation of the country, because mistakes had been made in installing plants when there were geological faults in the site. He had made up his mind about how the project would be controlled, but he would say nothing about that at present. Thai announcement should come from the Cabinet “I can ; assure you that the job will be done in record time when the site has been selected,” said Mr Semple.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19360120.2.30

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21685, 20 January 1936, Page 6

Word Count
655

ELECTRICITY FOR WESTLAND Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21685, 20 January 1936, Page 6

ELECTRICITY FOR WESTLAND Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21685, 20 January 1936, Page 6

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