ELECTRIC SUPPLY

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 31, 6 August 1919, Page 3

ELECTRIC SUPPLY

A WAIROA SCHEME.

A deputation from Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, waited on the Minister for Public Works (Sir William Fraser) yesterday. The deputation, which was introduced by Sir James Carroll, comprised Mr. J. D. Ormond, Messrs. Corkill, Hague, Summerfield, Jessep, Foote, and Signall. Mr. L. Birks, chief electrical engineer, was present. Mr. Ormond said the object of the deputation was to ask the Minister to allow Wairoa to carry out its own hydroelectric installation. He referred to the large increase in the stock dealt with at the local freezing works, which meant about £150,000 a year to the Dominion. Wairoa, in common with other parts of New Zealand, was experiencing difficulty in securing coal, and even firewood was at a prohibitive price. All that, was asked was that the Minister should allow a local hydro-electric scheme to be carried- out which would supply the requirements of Wairoa. Mr. Corkill handed in a report on the scheme, which intends to use Kaitawa Lake as a source of power. He explained that Wairoa had been waiting on the Napier people in order to join with them in a suitable scheme, but apparently Napier had come to a deadlock, as at the last meeting the voting upon a scheme was equal. Consequently, Wairoa determined to go in for a scheme on their own with the consent of the Minister of Public Works.

Mr. F. C. Hay, A.M.IC.E., gave a short summary of the proposals. The probable cost was estimated at £40,000, which would give an electrical supply of 500 h.p. He emphasised that the Wairoa scheme would not in any way interfere with any scheme which the Government might decide to undertake afterwards. The length of the line would be about thirty miles. A sum of £20,000 would be required for reticulation, and about a similar amount for headworks.

Other speakers pointed out how Wairoa was isolated both by sea and land, and' therefore stood in more urgent need of some independent power supply. The Minister's reply was to the effect that he could not make any definite statement on the spur of the moment, as he would need to go into the particulars of the scheme with the chief electrical engineer before committing himself in any way ; moreover, the subject was one which would have to be. brought up before Cabinet; but provided that the specifications and the scheme generally were approved by Mr. Birks lie did not think .that there would be any difficulty in the matter if the Wairoa people were willing to undertake the work at their own expense and subject to the conditions already mentioned. He promised at the urgent request of the deputation to give a reply at the earliest possible moment.