Threat To The Lakes

Press, Volume C, Issue 29427, 1 February 1961, Page 3

Threat To The Lakes

Sir. —As one who has just returned from a visit to beautiful Lake Manapouri and enjoyed the thrilj of a ride in the jet boat down the Waiau river, may I add my protests to those already published? Switzerland is one of the most electrified countries in Europe. When there some years ago I asked where the power stations were, and was told that the same amount of power ean be obtained from a small amount of water tumbline from a great height as from a much greater amount of water falling over a lower height. In Switzerland, where the lake edges have been settled for hundreds of years, it was obviously impracticable to raise the lake levels, so the power stations are high up in the mountains, and not necessarily large.

If New Zealand must worship Mammon perhaps the firm involved might be persuaded to fly their materials to the ton of a mountain where the bush could grow over their newer house rather than to the head of Lake Mananouri—Yours, etc, R MANN Timaru. January 30, 1961.