ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24367, 20 September 1944, Page 6

ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY

♦ SUGGESTION OP NEW DEPARTMENT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, September 19. A suggestion that the State electrical business should be administered as a separate department instead of as a branch of the Public Works Department was made by the Minister of Works (the Hon. R. Semple) in the Public Works Statement presented to the House of Representatives this afternoon. He said that might not be possible at present, but should be considered. The statement pointed out that practically all bulk supply was derived from State-owned plants and that the department was also responsible for the retail supply in Southland, thg whole representing one of the largest commercial undertakings in New Zealand. It is estimated that revenue from the supply of electrical energy will be £2,590.000 this year. The statement said the Highbank scheme would be ready in a month or so and work had been recommenced on the Lake Tekapo scheme. Power producing plant installed by the hydro-electric branch of the department increased by 37 per cent, between March 31. 1939. and March 31, 1944, in spite of difficulties in obtaining plant from overseas. Discussing delays in the delivery of generating plant for North Island stations, the statement said it had become necessary to send the inspecting electrical engineer overseas to endeavour to expedite delivery. Mr Semple said that to provide independence of supply and to relieve the general system of portion of the load, 58 fuel-burning plants, generating a total of 4316 kilowatts, had been installed, 14 in the South Island and 44 in the North Island. Advantage was being taken of the inspecting electrical engineer’s vi«H abroad to make inquiries into the possibility of obtaining modern steam-driven electro-generating plant of substantial capacity to act as standby on the Government hydro-electric scheme.