HYDRO-ELECTRICITY

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 41, 17 August 1917, Page 6

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY

The three- main difficulties in the way of starting the Wellington (Mangaliao) hydro-electric undertaking, are money, plant, and labour. If the head-works alone be put in hand, the plant factor "becomes small and perhaps negligible, but the other difficulties remain. Can . sufficient labour, skilled and unskilled, be obtained in present circumstances? And can a work of national importance be allowed to compete with war-work in a carefully-nursed money market? Despite the scarcity of general labour and the depletion of the Public. Works Department's engineering staff, we believe that the first question could be answered in the affirmative. But the main obstacle, and the governing factor, is the money outlook in relation to the war-; and this is the real reason for the non-committal reply of Blinisters to the WellingtonPalmerston North-Wanganui deputation. We do not think that any fault can be found with the Government for relying upon the obvious defence which the present situation affords. At the same time, it is arguable whether all the public works activities still being continued in the Dominion are in importance comparable with the commencement of this hydro-electric installation. No one wishes to see the undertaking compete with warwork, but is it not entitled to a place in such expenditure as is still .deemed fit and proper for the fourth year of the war? If relative values were weighed, there would not be room for very much difference of opinion.