Pylons A Thing Of Beauty

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 14

Pylons A Thing Of Beauty

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 8. Power pylons had a symmetrical beauty of their own, provided there was a suitable background, said Mr J. W. Bain, counsel for the Electricity Department, at the opening today of the Commission of Inquiry into the route for the Otahuhu - Henderson transmission line. The commission, which consists of Mr F. F. Reid, a retired stipendiary magistrate < chairman), Mr E. A. Millward. a former Mayor of Wanganui, and Mr R. W. Stannard, a Wellington public

accountant, is charged with reporting to the Government on the relative merits at carrying out the transmission by overhead Lines or underground cable, the costs of either and the degree of disturbance to land, property or business. It has also been asked to ascertain whether the overhead line route suggested by the department is the most suitable or whether cfber suggestions are suitable. Discussing the suggestion at putting the tine underground, Mr Bain said his submissions would show the proposition was “out of the question ”

An underground cable wcnld cost about £7.1 million compared with £680,000 for the proposed pylon line. Annual charges would be about £6oo,ooo—nearly the total cost of the overhead line.

Because of a cable’s interference with property, it might involve buying a strip ot land for the whole length of the route.

The department’s submissions, given by Mr P. W. Blakeley, its assistant chief engineer, and Mr R. I. Burns, assistant transmission line engineer, contained these conclusions:— The proposed route met requirements better than any of the alternatives. AH reasonable steps had been taken to find a suitable overhead line route. Underground transmission was out of the question. Additional transmittang capacity between Otahuhu and Henderson was essential by 1966. The hearing will continue tomorrow. it is expected to conclude on Friday.