ELECTRICITY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 55, Issue 32742, 24 July 1946, Page 11

ELECTRICITY

POWER IN COROMANDEL

RED LETTER DAY SWITCHED ON ON SATURDAY The long awaited day in Coromandel arrived on Saturday, July 20 when Mr James Thorn, M.P., accompanied by Mrs Thorn, performed the ceremony of switching on the power to light the township. A gathering of residents was present at the newly constructed power house of the Strongman Electric Supply Company, when Mr T. M. Lillis, chairman of the Coromandel branch of the Labour Party, intimated that Mr Thorn would turn on the power and so make the occasion a red letter day in the history of Coromandel. . Mr Thorn said he had come to Coromandel that d'ay on quite another kind of business, and' was not aware of the honour being given him, or that he would be in the position of turning on the power. He said he was very glad to do this; he had been dealing continuously with the problem of how to get light and power on the peninsula. Various schemes had been considered and Mr Semple had visited the district, but the proposal then had been beyond the capacity of the people. “Electricity,” he said, “is a great civilising power and to us coming from one- place to another we realise the many disadvantages which the people in outlying districts such as this have to contend with. • “ When Mr Strongman first decided on the installation of-the scheme in Coromandel I was approached by the county council to get a permit. Almost at every stage I have come into the picture and it is a great pleasure to me to have been able to get the position to where it is today. The amenities provided 'by this power will i make the place a much happier one to ! be in. I

“As soon as labour and material are available we ’hope everyone in New Zealand will have the means of a civilised life under the Government’s reticulation scheme for getting power into the outlying districts. I congratulate Mr iStrongman on his enterprise and the problems he has overcome made doubly so 'by the war just concluded. He is a brave and courageous man to tackle this scheme so that his fellow citizens will have the advantage of the electricity provided by his company. As a result of his enterprise the people of Coromandel are under a debt of gratitude to him for his service to fellow citizens,” concluded 'Mr Thorn. Three cheers were called for Mr Jack Strongman.

At 51T5 p.m. the engine was started up and Mr Thorn crossed over to the switch board, and with the words “ let there be light in Coromandel,” he closed the main switch.

The plant, which is a gas producer outfit, will generate electricity to light up the town area, provide street lights and house light and power and will be one of the greatest boons to the dist<et.