HYDRO=ELECTRIC POLICY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 3 May 1922, Page 5

HYDRO=ELECTRIC POLICY.

•*- LOCAL V. NATIONAL SCHEMES. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) ( WELLINGTON, May 2. J When the deputation from the Wa-nganm-Rangitikei Power Board interviewed the Minister of Public Works to-day with the object of securing a larger amount of ,power from MangaI hao than had been allocated, or in the alternative to be permitted to develop i its own power source at Karioi,- the i Hon. J. G. Coates made an important , statement regarding the general policy j governing such situations. The Minj ister, while willing to give permission jto have a complete investigation made, so as to ascertain the cost of power i locally developed, said he v^as very care- ! ful about authons.ng new schemes which would conflict with national development. All he allowed the board to generate would be so much less power i which could be sold «from the State schemes. He had had intimation from Auckland intimating the practical acceptance of contracts which meant definitely committing the Government to the development of the Arapuni! scheme, a big development of 40,000 kilowatts. They would have to get a sale for it, and to do so would mean going down -even to Taranaki and joining up with the line from Mon» n l< n /v fML'_ I_l J_ i

Mangahao. This would eventuate in six or seven years. He had to decide whether to allow a separate local scheme when it was possible to' secure power from the national scheme without wait-

ing much, longer than for local develop, ment. He was asking the engineers when they could tell him definitely the date on which power would be available from Waikareinoana and Arapuni, as they were both factors in the future supply of Taranaki and Wanganui. Mr. Morrison, a member of the Power Board, called attention to the fact that portion of the country from Hawera south appeared to be in J'llo man's land" from a power distribution viewpoint. He wished to know if the Wanganui-Rangitikei Board would take it in. Mr. Birks, chief electrical engineer, replied that the boards |area was already very larg-e, including three original power board districts. Mr. Lethbridge: But you are in favour of large districts. Mr. Birks: We are glad you took Wanganui in, but I think your district large enough. " x

Mr. Hope Gibbons asked, if power could be developed to supply Patea, would there be any difficulty in getting them to take it? ... The Minister of Public Works replied that there should be no difficulty.