Water royalty sought

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32956, 30 June 1972, Page 2

Water royalty sought

(N.Z, Press Association) DUNEDIN, June 29. A water royalty to be used for regional development would be an excellent way by which the power potential of the Clutha could be used to the benefit of the people whose lives and livelihoods were linked with the river. This suggestion was made by Mr TMcCristell, chairman of the Dominion Fertil-

iser Company, Ltd, when he addressed the company’s annual meeting in Dunedin today. An oil-fired thermal plant generating the same amount of electricity as could be obtained from the Clutha River would consume oil costing about s2om annually, he said. On the other hand, schemes now proposed would produce electricity with an annual sale value of about ssom at no cost fa raw material. “Water is a natural resource. and as such it is fundamentally no different from land, coal, mineral deposits, or forests,” said Mr McCristell.

“Damming a river to generate cheap electricity and merely compensating for the damage and losses involved is not development. It is blatant exploitation.” Use of the power resources of the Clutha River should be seen as an opportunity to develop the economy of the regions and enhance the quality of life of its residents. “To combine accelerated regional development with electric power development would add to the cost of the electricity produced, but this higher cost would be nearer to the true cost," said Mi McCristell.