The Country Chronicle Monday, May 13th, 1914 BOROUGH ELECTRICAL PLANT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 668, 13 May 1914, Page 4

The Country Chronicle Monday, May 13th, 1914 BOROUGH ELECTRICAL PLANT.

The position disclosed at the last meeting of the Te Kuiti Borough Council by the report of the electrical engineer indicates that prompt measures should be adopted to place the lighting installation on a more satisfactory f)oting than is the case at present. Whatever may ba tha reason of the unsatisfactory state of the plant there can be no doubt that prompt action is imperative. The present plant is now running to its full capacity, and any further demands, except for a few casual household connections, must- be refused until the capacity of the plant is increased. Added to this is the fact that the producer in use is working unsatisfactorily and may cause a breakdown at any time. It is obvioua that in order to supply power for ' industrial purposes the municipality must be in a position to guarantee an uninterrupted supply. On the face of things this demands a duplicate plant; hence the suggestion that a duplicate plant of double the present capacity ba installed. The estimated cost of the duplication including provision for substantial extensions of tha mains in order to provide further household connections is £4BOO. Interest on thia amount would be approximately £2OO a year. It is stated that with a guaranteed supply such as could be obtained from the increased plant, a further revenue of from £6OO to £7OO a year could be obtained for the supply of power to private and Government concerns. On these figures there is ample margin to warrant the extenson, with every prospect of the installation proving a profitable concern for the ratepayers. It is therefore to be hoped that investigation will bear out the contentions of those who have used the figures in advocating'the extension. There is nothing surer than that a considerable expenditure will be necessary in order to deal with the matter in any shape or form, and if by adopting the Bcheme suggested a payable revenue is to be obtained there is every inducement to proceed without delay. The suggestion made in the direction of obtaining information as to the installation of water power though deemed inopportune at present, is undoubtedly worthy of consideration in view of future developments. It has to be remembered that when the lighting proposals were under consideration three years ago the ambitions of the -Council were curtailed to a sotaawhat modest porgranima such as would be met by the plant installed, and a hydro-elec trie scheme appeared to ba beyond the requirements of the town for many years to come. Such a scheme is probably still a good way ahead of the immediate requirements, and the fact that a plant is installed, and can be made to profitably serve the occasion for some years to come, constitutes a strong argument in favour of improving that plant instead of attempting to run it in its present unsatisfactory state until a hydro-electric scheme, involving a largely increased expenditure, can be inaugurated. It has to be borne fn . mind that Ihe hydro-electric scheme, though not minutely investigated and estimated in detail, was considered at the time the present installation was under consideration, and the coat was deemed entirely beyond the powers of the borough. The progressive spirit is to be commended at all times, but progress mwat always be limited by the requirements of the period, and the ability of the district to bear the financial burden ei.tailed by progressive measures. There is no doubt the development of this town and district will warrant the extension of our public utilities to a degree at present undreamed of by our most ardent advocates of progress, and a hydro-electric plant will be included among tho3e extensions. In the case under review it seems to be conforming to the time worn maxim of "progress on sound lines" to consider the report of. the electrical engineer solely in connection with the installation now in existence.