WATER POWER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 113, 9 November 1906, Page 4

WATER POWER.

Writing three years ago of the schemes then on foot for harnessing 500,000 horsepower from Niagara ior the service of man, Mr. J. Foster Fraser said in his "America at Work" : "And that is just a point which brings out tho difference between the Biilon of to-day and the American of to-day. The Briton would supply tho power as it is required, and then tardily. Tlia American provides the power, and i« then ready to offer it co cheaply that men will transfer their works from other regions so that they may use it. Tho supply will create the demand." If tho individual Briton is slow to move in this respect, it might naturally be inferred that his State Departments would be slower ftill; and it is therefore M-ith a double pleasure that we record the alertness of the Public Works Department of this colony in the very matter which supplies Mr. Fraser with his text for the remarks above quoted. The trail of the politician ia over^ many of the undertakings of the Public Works Department ; but when not so hampered, its officers need not shrink from a comparison with those of any private- concern in point of ability and enterprise, and in tho case under consideration it is but fair to cay that they have not been hindered, but wisely helped and directed, by the political head of the department. The result is that in this colony the. Public Works Department is actually doing splendid pioneer work on, tho question of the utilisation ,of waterpower; and ths whole community will stortly v>o reaping an inestimable tienefilr without being blocked by the usually slow pace of the Government stroke, or bled by the rapider processes of private monopoly. "Our wafer-power resources are a natural asset of immense value," said tho Minister of Public Works in his statement last year. "The power used In the colony last year was about 400,000 horse-power, of which the railways employed about one-half. By the judicious development of our great resources in this respect there can be no doubt that many industries, which cannot at present be profitably carried on in this colony, could bo successfully established, and thus greatly add to the general prosperity and afford employment to a largely increased population." The extent of this aeset can be gauged by the statement of the same authority that " the total amount of water-power readily available in New" Zealand may now bo put down at about 550,000 horsepower in the North and 3,450,000 horeepower in the South Island — a total of just ten times tho power at present in use. In the 'Minister's statement- for the current year a general account is given of the surveys for this purpoeo which were authorised last year ; and from this we learn that for Wellington the Hutt scheme is given a decided preference over the Tauherenikau and other more remote sourcrc. " Tho survey for the Hutt power eclwme chows that, with a high dam, water for two or 1 three months' us© can be stored, and sufficient to enable about 16,000 horse-power for parttime (working eleven or twelve hours a day} to be got. . . . Judging from the pre^nt largo and ever-increasing amount of power used in Wellington, thero should be little fear of getting a ready sale for all the energy." This last statement is paradoxically expiee&ed, for it is not the getting of a ready sale, but tho not getting of it, that is the thing to fear; but- nobody will be deceived aa to the meaning. Altogether eight schemes have been investigated, and the nflceasary survej-s made, the expenditure under this head amounting to £2902. The vote for the current year is £53,000, and it is hoped to make an actual start with some of the works before the yea» is tip. " Plans for works to develop tness various schemes are boing prepared," says the Minister, "and very shortly it «ill bo possible to invite offers for the supply of plant. Information as to tho probable cost of plant has already be»:n obtained through the High Commissioner, but in addition detailed information for each particular scheme will now be obtained." Interesting: details in" this valuable section of the Public Works Statement are tho definite abandonment of tho Huka Falls, which had been regarded as the Niagara of this island, in favour of the Kaituua as Auckland's source of supply; and the indication of the manufacture of nitrates aa one of the new industries which tho development of our water- j power may promote. Great attention is being pnid to this subject in mariy parts of the world, and in Sweden the industry ia said to havo been proved to be profitable with the cost of energy at from £1 to £2 per horse-power per year. "Thero are places in New Zealand where power can be got within tho above limit of coot at the power-house, and, in addition, some of onr schemes would have tho power-house on the seashore, within easy reach of lime-stono deposits available for sea transport. If present anticipations as to the development of tho nitrate industries aro realised, there is no reason why New Zealand should not be able to manufacture and export many million pounds' worth of the product, and some districts may yet become centres of industry, supporting directly or indirectly a considerable population." The Minister of Public Works is looking far ahead, nnd we hope that bofbro his next annual (statement is delivered some decisive steps will have been taken towards the realisation of his vision.