WATER POWER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 680, 3 December 1909, Page 8

WATER POWER.

WAIHI CO, AND. THE; GOVERNMENT/ ' HORA HORA FALLS TOBE UTILISED. ' The unsuccessful application: made by the Waihi Company three, or ,four.. years-, ago for permission to tako power from tho Horn Hora Falls.was referred to in : .th'e-.House of Representatives on Weanesday in the course of tho discussion regarding the unused water "power of the Dominion. '. '.' ■ . . • • -•■■ , 'Mr. Massey, in remarkinir upon the fact that tht) negotiations had fallen through, said ho belirjved that the •-. Minister for Mines was now sorry that the offer had not been ■ accepted;, ''' . ■•'■ ' ; The Minister (Hon. R. M'Konzio): Not I. Mr. llassey. I believe that the Minister would now bo prepared to tako a great deal less for tho concession than was previously asked for: ' . . - . , Mr. M'Kenzie: You will- bolicvo any story that you aro.told. ■■•■■■ , , . : . ! Mr. Massey:'lly authority is'a pretty, good one; v __ ■ . •. ■ The Minister, safd that, negotiations had been going on.between the Government and the Waihi Company for some months past, and an agreement had now been entered into, for the taking of power by. tho company from Hora Hora on payment of. JEIOOO .a year. ■'.■"■'•■■■' ' Tho agreement between the .Government and the Waihi Gold Mining Company in regard to the company's Hora Hora; water-powoi' scheme for electrical generation purposes was. ratifiedby the Cabinet, and signed yesterday. The Hon. Seymour Thorne-George, co-attor-ney.'and a- New Zealand directors of the company, has supplied in an interview the leading. details of tho. arrangement, The agreement', gives the company power to take water to the extent of 10,000 horse-power for a term of 42 years without the option of renfewai;;-. The prico to. be paid for tho water is 3s. per horse-power , per annum. It is provided that the Government may take'over the installation at any time .during the term of the license.at a valuation,

and alio that'any,'local .body within access of. ; the , scheme shall have.the^right to'be supplied' with-power .by' the.'com'pany.' .It' is' Estimated 'that, the installation , will -oost' , about' .£150,000; or hvice .the. estimate of ,the, scheme put forward by the company four; years! ago, when ■it was prdpQsed.to-.tako only 4000 horse-power. The distance from ; the Hpra : Hdra Rapids to- ■ Waihi is : 'sl miles! ; .One '.of 'the features' of the work'will'be a huge water-race , from the falls' to the generating- station. - This will be about 1500 foot long, about 100 feet wide; and a , _ corresponding'-'depth'>'' The line of trans-' mission-from the generating station'to , :Waihi' was.surveyed some time .ago,'but'it will be resurveyed; .Work, lyill be.commenoed' afionco, and .the greatest. , dispatch, ivill bo used. I It is anticipated: that- the. .w6rk:'will v : be completed within about \ 18... months ■' or ; two" years at" the .outside. "Although'.'it' is ■.proposed'-to utilise 10,000 horse-power at the generating station a 'considerable, percentage! of .'power will, of- course,- be-Most .in transmission over the-51 rapes.'_ Tha. , 'power." will in connection with'.:the.'.-,company's- mine .and works, and the scheme. ■ivill no doubt lead to the permanent employment pf a considerable number of additional- men at -Waihi,,.as well as. affording temporary' employment' to large number of .men during the period of construction;- :: .'■ '■■'. ;.-. :\'r,\ \.-y-.'■'.-■- ■:■■, ■'~• ;■ : '.'■-.