NOT STOP AT “GRAFT”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10738, 8 November 1928, Page 6

NOT STOP AT “GRAFT”

PREMIER DEFENDS MANGAHAO SCHEME.

DRASTIC DENUNCIATION. OF h AMATEUR ENGINEERS. PUTTING THEIR OWN INTERESTS BEFORE PUBLIC. (Special'To The Times). -LEViN, N0v...7;;., A vigorous reply to the criticism which has been levelled at the Mangahao hydro-electric, power scheme was made" by the Prime Minister, Mr (mates, at Shannon to-day. “1 say definitely that the criticism of Mangahao is coming from people who are not competent to criticise the project,” the Prime Minister said. “Thev do not realise why Mangahao was laid out. It is part of the scheme which takes in the Arapuni and Waikaremoana hydro-electric undertakings. It was necessary to have a feeder , service at the southern end of the Island to drive the power to Wellington, the Manawatu and the Wairarapa, and a decision had to be made as to which stream should be ■used.. Mangahao or the Hutt. From a feeder point of view there is no doubt Mangahao was- the best. The estimates for the work were repared during the war, and like most estimates of that period they did not cover the costs of post-war construction. - .

“It had to be remembered.” Mr Coates continued, “that when electricity was sent over long distances there were losses of current, and when the losses, exceeded 17 per cent, the transmission ceased to be profitable. Mangahao was never intended to be a profit-earning scheme by itself ; it was a feeder station, but in the year before last it earned 3 per cent., and it appeared that it would earn ’6 to 7 per cent, before very long ” Continuing; the Premier said

“Mangahao will stand the closest examination by competent men, but no scheme will stand the amateur criticism of politicians or 'of engineers who, while they have diplomas, are unreliable. I know some of those engineers will go liny length to get their , own way. l know some of them would not stop at ‘graft.’ We will not stand that. They are putting their, interests before those of the public. We say the public interest is paramount.” —'(Applause.)