Introductory

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 September 1932, Page 1 (Supplement)

Introductory

2| IN writing the history or the Urey District Electric rower j j Board, it cannot be said that the Fates have always favuffla oured that organisation. The endeavours made, since 1922, ZlfeMß when the Board was constituted, to supply Greymouth and district with electric light and power, have been subject to many handicaps, both on the part of Nature and of man, and the various contending forces have JjjjF caused much friction and delay. Contradictory reports, delay m the arrival of materials, labour disputes, and financial troubles have been a .few of the factors making for delay and worry on the part of the Board, its staff, and the contractors. ’ So far as Nature was concerned, she did her utmost, by storm and flood, to hinder the work being done on behalf of the Board, particularly in the case of the hydro-electric scheme, and, on many occasions, /MBMB it almost seemed as though Nature were angry at the interference of puny humans with her River Arnold. Grit and perseverance won, MBEMI however, the river has been bent to the will of man, and its waters / are now fulfilling the prophecy of Thomas Brunner, the explorer, who, on his voyage up the river, in 1848, predicted that they would, one IwHMM day, be turning the wheels of industry. Concerning the various members of the Board who have held office, it can scarcely be said that they have been a happy family, and count- IESsM less columns of the Press have been filled with their debates, which 'WIM often were of an “electric” quality. The chief rock upon which S the opinion of Board members split, was the question of policy, iSSSfeI S Steam or Hydro ? After the Board was formed, it was decided wwi instal a hydro-electric plant at the Arnold River, but this w % was abandoned, in favour of a steam plant at Dobson. Therein flay a prolific source of controversy, and one outcome was the defeat I of the first Chairman of the Board, the late Mr. H. F. Doogan, \ ’JH* when, m 1925, he sought re-election as one of the Greymouth 1 F' Borough representatives. The change in chairmanship, to Mr. D. Ferment, did not bring a change in the policy of the Board, however, and, in face of strenuous pretests from some sections of the ccmmui by, the steam scheme at Dobson was proceeded with. Electricity was supplied in 1926, and the demand improved to such an extent that, in a few years, the plant was running at its full capacity, with the result that the Board had to decide whether to undertake extensions at Dobson, or find another source of power. Thorough investigations decided the Board m favour of the Arnold. The new installation is designed to yield energy to the extent of 2500 kilowatts, but this is based on the minimum flow of the river, and can be greatly increased if necessary, the total amount of possible development being conservatively estimated at six times the present demand in the Board’s area. 1 To the contractors, and the men on their pay-roll, special praise is due. Right from the beginning of the work, they were pitted against heartbreaking difficulties, concerning the magnitude of which the general public had only the most nebulous of ideas. To the natural handicaps of the site, particularly for the dam, were added the vagaries of the river, which were accentuated by the bad weather which prevailed over lengthy periods. Much of the preliminary work was merely labour in vain, and it was put in on many occasions, only to be swept away by the then-untamed force of the flooded river. Messrs Sparks, Ltd., a private company, was formed to take over the contract originally held by Mr. F. Sparks. A native of Hokitika, Mr. W. G. McKay, was appointed man-aging-partner and engineer to the contractors, and it was, to a great extent, due to his energy, courage, and tenacity that the undertaking progressed to completion. The hydro-electric plant, which has cost a total of £128,853, will supply the whole of the Board’s district, having an area of 1450 square miles, extending from the north bank of the Teremakau River, in the south, to the south bank of Punakaiki Creek, m the north. The population of the area was, this year, estimated at 13,800, and the value of the rateable property at £1,920,000. Nearly ten years after the constitution of the Power Board, the Arnold River hydro-electric scheme has been brought to fruition, and, to-morrow, it will be inaugurated at a ceremony to be performed at the power-house, by the Chairman of the Board (Mr. J. B. Kent). In publishing this special supplement, the “Star” extends best wishes to the Grey Electric Power Board, and expresses the hope that the confidence of that body in the industrial future of the district will speedily be realised. In the attainment of that goal, there is no doubt that cheap hydro-electric power will be an asset of the greatest value.