WAIPORI.

Evening Star, Issue 20128, 19 March 1929, Page 8

WAIPORI.

An audience of about sixty, comprising members of the Chamber of Commerce, the Manufacturers’ Association, and the .'Ratepayers’ Association cannot from its size and nature connote secrecy. Presumably last night’s decision to go into committee to hear Messrs Henderson and Shack lock on the question of the sale ol the Maipori headworks to the Government was made with the object of minimising publicity. Rut there are certain facts which will boar restating. The present capacity in the power .house is 12,000 k. and to-day the demand for power was such that the Diesel engines in Cumberland street had to be called on to bear a full load. M hat then are the prospects for the coming winter? .Frankly they point to an under supply. Already requests are being made to certain big users ol power to substitute night lor day working, it had been hoped to avoid this. The E.P. and L. department had arranged for the substitution of three l, k.w. generators in the power house by one 3,000 k.w. generator. By its greater efficiency the latter would slightly increase, the power output, hut the chief object ol the change was the conservation of water. By delay in execution of the order in England this generator, instead of now being available, is still on the water, being due to arrive- in two weeks. It had also been hoped to have a 3,000 k.w. generator installed at the new dam site for operation ibis coming winter. Tho new dam is behind schedule time. So is the generator, which cannot possible bo erected before next summer. Even then its ellieicney, beginning at under 1,500 k.w., can only increase to 3,000 k.w. as the dam is raised to its full height of 110 ft. Thus the prospect for tho 1030 winter is worse than that for the coming winter. As for the future, it is certain that the programme of 18,000 k.w. developed at tho power house- by six 3,000 k.w. generators and 3,000 k.w. developed at the dam, giving 21,000 k.w. in all, will bo the linni limit of ’Waipori's development, a limit imposed by the amount of water available, stored to the best advantage. Meantime there is the Government's tentative otter to buy tho hcadworks and tide over the prospective shortage ol supply. It is in black and white over the signature of a high official of the Public Works Department. The City Corporation is now awaiting its translation from general to detailed iorm, with the Ministerial confirmation. this involves delay, and unfortunately delay is must embarrassing to the corporation. Under the circumstances it would bo highly desirable if Cabinet would intimate whether it stands lor or against purchase. In the one ease the Government could proceed with its proposals to immediately relieve the shortage; in the other ease the City Corporation could carry out its own programme as rapidly as may he. The two sets of proposals do not in any way dovetail into one another; therefore the urgent need Jor a- decision to transfer ownership or leave the matter as it is must bo very obvious.