HYDRO-ELECTRIC.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 October 1924, Page 8

HYDRO-ELECTRIC.

DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES. WORK FOR THE FUTURE. ■ MINISTERIAL POLICY. Hydro-electr'.o works were referred uo ru the Public Works Statement as roilows: ‘Tn the Public Works Statement of last year there was presented a table showing an approximate programme of development for the following six years. This provided for an expenditure of £964,000 for the year ended March 31, 1924. and of about £I,OOO- - per year for the following five years on extensions of existing schemes and on new developments During the year a substantial advance w ‘ as mde on various portions of this programme. The total expenditure on extensions and new works amounted to £865,072, increasing the total capital invested by the department on hydro-electric development from £2 - 170,100 to £3,035,172. This extra capital has been expended on the following main divisions: Lake Coleridge £44,768, Horahora £79,795, Man°rahao £682,310, Arapnni £57,707, Waikaremoana £497. “The works now under construction provide for the requirements of most of the main centres of population. The requirements of others are being provided 'bv plants owned or being installed by local authorities. Some criticism has been directed against the department in regard to its policy of development in Canterbury, but we cap not allow our general policy of supplying power in what ie considered to be the best interests of the country generally to be upset or modified by purely local considerations. ‘The Power Board legislation was introduced in 1918 to set up new local authorities whose special business it would be to distribute and sell electric power to the consumers in' their district. With the large programme of development which the department hap in front of'it, it-is felt that this portion of the electric supply business could with advantage he handed over to bodies having direct interest in creating and increasing the load which it is essential the Government schemes must secure if they are to become profit-earning at an early date. “The matter has been taken up so enthusiastically by the people generally that , at the end of the financial year there were thirty-six power boards in existence. These hoards cover an area of 57,876 square miles, or 56 per cent, of the total area of the Dominion; the total population concerned is 679,748, or 53 per cent, of the total population of the Dominion ; and the unimproved land value included in the power hoard district is £180,707,472, or 54.5 per cent, of the total unimproved land value of the Dominion. “Of the thirty-six boards, thirteen are already operating and supplying power, eleven have embarked on an active scheme of construction, whilst the remaining twelve have done only preliminary work. “At the end of the year the hoards had a capital investment of £3,212,296, and the ratepayers in their districts by a vote of 28,975 to 2589 had authorised the raising of loans totalling £7,491,000. “The enormous increase that is taking place in electrical development in. New Zealand has necessitated a vast amount of work on the inspection of electric lines and plants of various local authorities. The question of adequate regulations to govern electrical work has received much considand, following the publication of new regulations issued by the Institution of Electrical Engineers in London, it is proposed to issue a new set of regulations covering erection of electric lines in this country. x “During the year a most important conference on power matters was held in London at which representatives from most of the power-using countries of the world were present. New Zealand was represented, at this conference by Sir James Allen and Mr. Evan Parry.’ ’