HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 46, 6 February 1920, Page 5

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

FEW WORDS WITH HON. MACDONALD. A reporter, in conversation wit"h Hon W. D. S. MacDonald, Leader of the Opposition, yesterday afternoon, drew his attention to a statement made bv Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P. Mayor of Wellington, appearing in the Wellington press, in which he is reported as saying that: “The volume of current that woidd be supplied to Wellington from the Mangahao scheme would not be sulfccient for ordinary domestic purposes; the supply would not equal the demand until swh time as Late W.ikarteteto* was harnessed. The Wellington City Council had seen the difficulty with which it would be faced in the near future and had ordered a steam-power plant so that the tram and light services would be maintained.” Mr. MacDonald, in reply, said that he did not know Mr. Luke a capacity as an electrical engineer, but he did know Mr. Parry’s qualifications and, if Mr. Parry said that the Mangahoa supply would be sufficient then he (Mr. MacDonald) was satisfied that it would be. “With regard to the oroposed steam power plant,” said Mr. MacDonald, laughingly, “does Mr. Luke also propose to buv a coal mine to keep it going.” Wellington, Mr MacDonald continued, despite the increased cost of material, was undoubtedly going ahead, and building rapidly, so that the tramways and lighting would be a serious consideration, and he (Mr. MacDonald) was quite convinced that the Waikaremoana scheme must, be . gone on with as soon as possible, in order to supplement Mangahoa.