GREY POWER BOARD

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1924, Page 8

GREY POWER BOARD

THE MEMBERS’ WISDOM. (coni ributed.J Several samples of the wisdom of members of the Power Board were displayed at the meeting of tho Greymo uth Harbour Board on Tuesday, when tho speakers included two members of the Grey Power Board, the manager of the Dobson mine and others. Thus;— Mr ,J. Steer (chairman of the Harbour Board):—He personally favoured :« steam plant, which, he considered, had proved itself the most- efficient and cheapest in every place it had been used.’’--Shades of Niagara and Coleridge ! Mr D. Tennent (member of the Power Board,a nd also of. the Harbour Board): — “The Board had learned from in-

vestigations, made subsequent to the poll, that the hydro scheme would 'cost £lBo,ooo,”—and still the Power Board of which Mr Tennent is a member takes the advice of an engineer who stated the hydro scheme could he installed for £BO,OOO. Tho estimate was only .£lOO,OOO out, so why worry I Unfortunately the ignorant ratepayers take a lot of educating to TH AT philosophy.

Mr Tcnnent: “It was the duty of the Board, before it went any further to prove the foundations. 'These were found unsatisfactory and unreliable, and the areat had been proved insufficient.” Will MV. Tcnnent kindly tell us what foundations were proved ■Tuneliable” and HOW wore they so prow. .1; also what area has boon proved insufficient ?

Mr. Tennent :—Ho had, at the time expressed sonic strong opinions, as a- result of which the advice of an engineer of world-wide renown wns obtained.”—Will Mr Tcnnent toil us where one would obtain a copy of this advice, and why i<t was not given to thp, public ns soon as it was obtained ? Mr. Tennent: ‘‘Flo. wanted to point out that the resolution of the Borough Council was in favour of the Power Board.”—One wonders what kind of a resolution would Mr Tennent consider antagonistic to the Board ’ Referring to Mr .1. McLean's statement that tho plant should be in (• wn, I Mr Tennent said: “100,000 gallons o* water per hour were needed for the plant.”—Ono doesn't know a« great deal about, engineering; but one wants to know' what kind of a condenser the Power Board are going to attaucn to their 750 or 1000 kilowatt generating plant that needs 100,000 gallons of water per hour. Verily, these Power Bo:*rd people do juggle with figures! Mr* Tennent again. “The water below' Dobson was -‘brackish” and therefore unsuitable,” —One ran to the tap and 'TASTED the. water which is drawn from the river just above Cobden bridge—it was quite fresh ! Mr Leitch: (manager of the Dobson mine) “The water at. Greymouth is “brackish’’ and not at all suitable:” — Apparently Dobson coal will be r.ost suitable for firing flu* steam plant s boilers.

Mr Tennent: “Mr Schrievou selected a. site near the Kaiinata station as the only one workable, but that scheme would cost £160,000 or £200,000.”—Oh why did the Power Board's engineer say £BO.OO0 —and get us to vote on. it.?

Mr Tennent: “1 did not like that letter that was sent to the Borough Touiu'il from the Power Board. It looked like as if we were asking for the. approval of tho Council in abandoning a hydro scheme.”—Alter spending <BO,OOO sanctioned by the ratepayers, does Mi Tennent think the same ratepayers will tjive the- Powei’ Board authority to raise from £1611,000 Io £2OO-000 to harness the Arnold river'.

Mr Perkins: “I don’t want to. vote. ! am a member of the Power BoaU . II i s ;1 great pitv the other mentbeis of the Pover Board had no! tho same, diffidence.