LAKE COLERIDGE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1028, 18 January 1911, Page 5

LAKE COLERIDGE.

"AND CHEAP ELECTRIC LIGHT. . IN TWO TEARS' TIME. Tclcecapli—Press Association.) Christchurch, January 17. . -Yesterday the flon. 'R. M'Kenzie, Minister,, for, Public Works, inspected the site Df.'the -proposed hydro-electric works at Lake : Coleridge; . Interviewed after his visit, he gave some■ interesting informati6n regarding the.scheme. He. said that, oa February: 7,; applications would clo&s for the position of electrical engineer for tho Dominion .in connection with the Government's hydro-electric scheme. ■■ The applications were being incited in- Now Zealand and in 'England, and; the. engineer who was appointed to the; position would receive a salary, to cohimenco with, of .fSOO.jper annum-. Until he had been consulted, no information could ho given-.regarding, the .method by which tho* power generated by the State plants would be distributed for consumption by factories or for domestic purposes. The intention of the Government: was to • provide every, possible faoility. for the use of electricity, and, while it would expect to cover charges ■ for; interest, sinking fund, and depreciation,' and perhaps something beyond that, ho .could confidently state that, by the development of Lake Coleridge, electricity would- bo supplied in Christchurch tit less.'than one-half, and probably tit onethird of tho present cost of power in the city. . The i diversion of the Acheron River was included in the plans for- tho original of the power available: and tho lake, with this addition, would produco from 33,000 to 34,000 horsepower, of which. 16,000 horse-power would be . developed at 'tho' initiation of the scheme. It would tako probably'fifteen years'-for .'the''demand to exceed, that quantity, and, afterwards, tho Wilberforce and tho Harper Rivers might be utilised in a similar majiner.

Referring to the question of transmismoriV'the Minister.said that the lino would "be carried as directly as possible to the sub-station, which, it would be necessary to establish - near Christchurch. There was statutory authority for the erection of transmission poles anil cables over private lands, with provisions for the payment of compensation, and the expenditure on tho. transmission of tho power, would be kept as low as possible by;: the erection of cables in, tho most direct lino .that'-was possible. .The requirements' of-Ohfistchurch provided the principal object of tho scheme, but, .ultimately., he. had. no doubt thfit power .from ' tjie. Lake Coleridge Station would .be 'distrihute'd'-for .all uses from Timaru.in the south to. Eaiigiora in the north. • v ' . ■ i the' development of the Dominion's the Government had determined to follow sound commercial , principles, and such. industries as the.. production of nitrates and carbide from: limestone in Canterbury, and of paper pulp in other parts of the country, would bo developed bv it. The* Minister added'tha'ti within seven or. eight, weeks, ..the method by which the.'latent power -of. Lake Coleridge - was to be developed would be determined, and the' various: works in' connection with the, harnessing of. the. lake, the installation of generating plant, and tho erection of transmission lines, would he proceeded with simultaneously. He expocted that, .within two years, power from Lake Coleridge would be available'in Christchurch. . .• - 1 ■ •