THE WATER POWER.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 261, 21 October 1911, Page 5

THE WATER POWER.

STATE NOTIONS AND THE CITY. Wellington, Oct. 20. The Government’s water-power proposals, as far as thev concern Wellington, were referred to at the meeting of the City Council last night. The Mayor said that he had not made any public announcement on the matter at all. Before he could put any proposals before the city he would have to get a great many retails wonted out. Allowance would have to be made for the capital charges and running costs of a converter station and a sinking fund sufficient to extinguish the capital of the power and lighting station. Allowance would also have to be made for increased capital charges which would have to be made due to expenditure on new machinery ami extensions of the distributing mains ; also the cost for altering the supply of current from the Government direct on the mains from the transformers. Sinking funds on converter station, power station, lighting station, and distributing system would have to be arranged for : also depreciation on the converter station and distributing system. As for the scheme, he believed that Wellington presented advantages over other cities, but unless Wellington could get current at a price which would allow them to scrap their whole concern, meet other matters, and at the same time reduce the price, the council would net consider it.—(Hear, hear). He had a comprehensive report on the subject from Mr. Richardson. but did not propose to allow it to be made public yet : it had not been before the committee.