COOK STRAIT CABLE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29228, 11 June 1960, Page 14

COOK STRAIT CABLE

Minister Defends Proposal

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON. June 10.

The proposal to lay a cable across Cook Strait to connect the power systems of the North and South Islands, survived against strong suggestions that it should be abandoned, at the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party. The principal speaker in favour of the cable was the Minister of Electricity 'Mr Watt). The conference was considering a remit from Marlborough calling for the abandonment of the plan to lay a power cable across the strait. Mr Watt said that it would be inadvisable to abandon the project at the present stage. Many factors would have to be taken into consideration before a decision could be made. There was also the problem of when the cable should be laid if the job was done. Investigation

The Government still had some way to go in its investigation of the hydrological resources of the North Island. Until this was completed, caution should prevail, said Mr Watt. “We know more now than we have ever known of the North Island's potential. But until our knowledge is complete, we would urge the conference to retain the cable proposition as part of the programnte of national development,” said Mr Watt. He added that when the Government had the complete details of the power resources of both islands and of the full advantages of the inter-island connexion of the • two transmission systems, it would then be the time to decide whether or not the laying of a cable would be advisable.

The conference accepted Mr Watt’s view. In rejecting the Marlborough remit, however, it carried a recommendation urging the Government to make greater use of the power resources of the South Island, to ensure the investment of capital there, to ensure the promotion of industries and to assist employment for the rapidly-increasing South Island labour force. \