WATER POWER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 947, 14 October 1910, Page 6

WATER POWER.

THE HUTT DEVELOPMENT WORKS. In view,of the sfcatcinont made by the Prime Minister on Wednesday ovening in regard to the Government water-power scheme and particularly in reference to tho development of the Hutt power for. electric supply purposes, tho report.to Parliament on this subject in 1906 by Mr, P. S. Hay,. cx-Engiueer-in-Chief of tho Public Works Department is interesting. .''..'■ The report showed that the works re-' quired were a high concrete dam, a conduit about four miles thirty chains long, about 700 lineal feet of pipes, and tail race about 35-chains long, for the most part in drive. The power, station, under. Mr. Hay's scheme, would have - been situated, near tho junction of the Mungaroa. Stream with the Hutt..River,, about four miles from the Upper Hutt Station. In view of the physical conditions which obtain in the river basin, it would have been'necessary to store a largo volume of water, as the low-water flow of the river . was at times too small to , warrant the construction of any works. . Mr. Hay considered that the Hutt Gorge,. at about half a mile below the junction of the Pakuratahi, was narrow enough to enable a dam to be built, but there was a considerable fall in this distance. .The best location for a dam would have been just below the, j unction, but the gorge was wider, and a dam would be about three and a half times longer, though not so high. The height would be; about 170 ft. from river bed ,to the' crest of tho dam,, and the length about 370 ft.-along the crest. At water level the river was' only about 50ft. to 60ft. wide, and 'the faces of. the gorge showed rock, and apparently solid foundation should: bo: got without excessive-Excava-tion.

The maximum power which the scheme would work up-.to would have been 17,000 b.h.p.., 6n the turbine,shaft for.machines of high , efficiency. The corresponding continuous power would have been 8500 b.h.p.-:

. A plant and works to yield 8500 b.h.p/ on turbine, shafts for continuous - working, would-cost,--say, ',£350,000. Of this amount, said Mr. would be-for, dam, tail-race, conduit,-buildings, etc.; and .£90,000 for electric 'plant, transmission, line,. substitution, etc. .'.'' - '.;

For. an installation to work up to, 6ay, 17,000' b.h.p: obi. turbine.shafts the cost' . would be about i 8470,000. Of this' .woiild be for. dam, conduit, . tail-race, buildings, and minor engineering: ; works: ..■ No.sums had been-iaoluded',in,.the above, estimates for secondary distribnt>' ing lines in.towns'; :these;would amount, in time ; to a considerable sum—for these" •lines would 'year, by .year • increase -in number,'and'length until'the power was fully'"-utilised.. .-.,'.'; ;.-. .

'■ /'MIEAMAR INTEEESTED.'- "7\ : Tho Government's scheme for develop-' ing, water-power,; at' Akatarawa aid supi plying Wellington and suburbs with elec-. trie current. ; was referred to atthe Mira-: mar, Borough Council; meeting last : night.': ,'. The question was-.raised by! Councillor : H;. N... M'Leod, , who'■,- said, the ■ council should consider, how the;new proposals would affect the scheme upon, which it had Tyeceived a report. : . .He 'remarked, that thePrime.Mihister had' said that :ourrent.for lighting would be supplied; at ;2d.. per, .unit, :and. for power -at ldi\ per, .unit.'The present prices 'charged-by the' | ! Wellington Council were 7d; arid 3d. The : Government's-;scheme .might have a considerable effect • on industries 'at; Miramax: as well 'as: on .the; council's I consumption of; power. /..He'broposed that Mr. Mestaye'r.should bsasted; to'reportoil tho matter, .especially as to how,the , scheme submitted' to; the counciL by him' /would; be .affected by : tho/ Government's proposal. :. : ,- , .•-■'.;.'.-'.'•'. ■•-.'■,.•.■■ ;: The council: to-ask Mr. Mes.tayer .for. a report as suggested;/- ' ''■> V PROTESTS EEOM' NAPIEE AND" GIS- ; ;,;... '..,.■:'•..':.(.■.BtJßNE.,''.;-:;.''-.'':- '/.:.':<i A -protest, against, the' non-inclusion of .Lake , Waikareinoana. in the water-power-.scheme,- outlined' by the, Prim'o Minister. on Wednesday evening was made -by:a. deputation of Hawke's ;Ba'y arid Bay.''of' Plenty members which waited on . SirJoseph: Ward, and,;the Hon.: E. M'Kenzie. ,; .yesterday.// •'• ■'i.'> .■--,.•• I , Mr. :T. V;' Brown /(Napier)--said great: disappointment was felt'af.'Waikarenioana not having, been.taken into/the scheme.' Hawke s.Bay would like itssharo of the power' and he.'.'askedTif it'-, could -nob be attached to', the scheme; 'Either 'lake Waikareinoana or; the To Eeinga Falls could easily be- utilised.' Hastings ,had 1 been' deterred -from initiating a scheme in : connection 'with the To' Beigna Falls/because''of 'the idea that the Governments ~was. sure, to .include' Lake Waikaremoaria" :.in.its proposals. : ; '.'',/'.;.; ,:.- , Mr. Dillon '(Hastings) said his district had .been building on the scheme which' was part and parcel-of'their existence:Mr:..T.,E. Macdoniild'(Bay-'of Plenty) said: that in .his district' thoy thought they would' have been'.one,;ot the/first place's to which ■; would have shown: '-( .;.-: . : ■':</.'.:- :.v'- / :'.- •-...:■,-;.'•

> The' Prime •■ Minister said, either' Waikaremoana or the Te Reinga Falls would be .provided for; He .had; omitted., tb'al-; lude to/ this when .outlying the, prelim-) inary-proppsals. as he/was not 'certain'. Wyet as to whioh'of the■ two Schemes would be adopted. .He should have mentioned this. -The Teßeigna'Falls/were capable of developing 12,000 horse-power, and Wai-' k'aremo'ana/very,. much: greater, than that.' There was probably a'much'greater power; than.was required at Waikaremoana.' and consequently ...the' capital cost . of./ ; th'i3 scheme was much'greater than the: one for/Te Eeinga Falls;. They .were not sure,' however, that, they would 'not, commence at Waikaremoana on a reduced 'amount of about ~£320,000. .They- had.still ,to.de, cide finality between Lake .Waikaremoana: and Te '-; Eeinga' ; Falls, : ;but one of-them' would be provided for included in ',the Public Works Statement. ''. ;

Replying tp: a. remark ,by. Mr., Brown,* who said there were works in Napier waiting for the ;motive. power, Sir Joseph said 'the ;survey-"work/tor; the whole of ■the schem.es was to'be put in hand.without delay; and two. or., three 'were being commenced right away.. .. ■■■■■■.;