WATER THE BEST POWER

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 46, 22 February 1917, Page 6

WATER THE BEST POWER

At Lake Coleridge, according to the Minister for Public Works, the Government is producing hydro-electric power at a cost lower than that of any other known system, "practically half"; and the Chief Electrical Engineer (Mr. E. Parry) states that the Mangahao-Toko-niaru scheme will supply Wellington at a price per unit no higher than that charged in Christchurch for Coleridge power. This scheme presents such advantages that all capital charges (including interest, depreciation, • and sinking fund) and cost of maintenance and of operation would be covered by a revenue return of £4 per horse-power per annum ; and, adds the Chief Electrical Engineer, "we know by experience in Christchurch that we can secure this revenue without difficulty, even where economical fuel plants are already installed." These facts are summarised, by way of introduction, because they embody the pith of the problem. They amount to an absolute assurance that the MangaliaoTokomaru scheme will be an industrial and financial success, and they are given on tile authority of an expert who has already achieved a conspicuous triumph with a similar undertaking at Lake Coleridge. While a good report was hoped for, it is safe to say that the expert's finding is even better than was expected , and the deputation to the Minister has accomplished a great national work even if it has merely brought under the public notice this extremely interesting and valuable document. 15y its publication the position, particularly as it affects Wellington, is revealed v.-Hh admirable iSleajaiSiWA.-Wd.iJiS J2°l'.ute aMfiatifin can

thus be focussed, in a manner not before possible, on the great and definite indus-trial-economic benefits arising from a vigorous policy of hydro-electric development. More especially in relation to electrical power undertakings, the Wellington City Council is forewarned, a-nd therefore forearmed. These advantages accrue even although realisation of the scheme is a post-war event, and is likely to be deferred until the peace settlement is two or three years old. While- tho war' is in. progress, neither money nor machinery will be available; but it is in order to begin to consider how the hydro-electric undertakings shall be financed on the arrival of peace. Two of them stand in the foreground : Mangahao-Tokomaru (for Wellington and allied districts) and Waikato (for Auckland and allied districts). Though the latter has been less definitely investigated, .its cost may be taken as about £1,200,000, while the cost-of Mangahao-Tokomaru is £1,000,----000. In the opinion, of the Minister for Public Works, the two schemes have equal claims on the Government, and he is evidently impressed with the dif* fi'culty of finding £2.200,000 at the close of- an exhausting war Consequently there havp been tentative efforts to temporarily curtail the Mangahao-Tokomaru scheme by providing for the Wellington supply of current and deferring the supplies to some of the allied districts; with the result that it is suggested that Wellington should receive 10,000 horsepower at a cost of £334,000 for headworks and power station,, and £111,000 for transmission and distribution, a total of £448,000, something under the halfmillion. It is important to compare these figures with those of the Chief Electrical Engineer's . full scheme, which are : horse-power 25,000, head-works and power station £420,000, transmission and distribution £580,000, total £1,000,----000. The outstanding fact is that while the Chief Electrical Engineer lays down that the capital cost of headworks and power station should not exceed £20 per horse-power, and while under his larger power scheme (25,000 horse-power) the cos£ is well below that figure, the smaller scheme (10,000 horsepower) places it well above the £20 limit. This is an obvious disadvantage, although it would be a. temporary one. While' we fully recognise that Wellington's electrical power needs—which we have repeatedly emphasised—provide a special urgency for this city's current supply as compared with that of allied districts, any temporary curtailment of the Chief Electrical Engineer's recommendations must be viewed with regret, and can be' justified only by financial considerations of a; convincing nature. Mr. Parry's report is the most satisfying and inspiring hydro-electric document that has yet been submitted to the public, and it is clear that in a man of I'such ideas and capacity the Dominion has a great asset. They should be given effect to, in their complete symmetry, with as little delay as ma;/ be. And in this connection a good deal depends on the driving force and personality of the Minister for Public Works, who will | probably find that Cabinet is quite 'open to conviction.