HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1174, 15 February 1919, Page 5

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

CONFERENCE IN HAMILTON.

THE KORA KntlA W'OEIKS

ACOUISITION BY GOVERNMENT

APPROVED,

The conference- of representative* of local bodies, held in Hamilton Wednesday, for the purpose of considering the 1 matter of hydro-electric power for the Auckland province. wa» very largely attended, and was fully representative. Mr W. F. Mason (deputy-Mayor of Hamilton) presided, and there were about To other delegate* present, Including Messrs J. R. Fow (Mayor of Hamilton)> E. J. Wlßdaaoo (Mayor of Cambridge), T. Stanley (Mayor of Te Aroha). W. J. Towers (Mayor of Paeroa), J. Henderson (Mayor of Devonport). J. P. MePfcaK (Mayor of Birkenhead). McDonald (Mayor of Otafttthu). ■"' A. S. Laird (Mayor of Taumarunui),. J. E. Tldd and H. M. Ilowden (Hamilton Borough Council). (J. Parr and J. W. Hodd (Hamilton Chamber of Commerce). W. White (Leamington Town Board). F. Harris (Hnntty Town Board). J. A. Clothier (tlungahonga Drainage Board). J. E. Taomas CTe Aroha Chamber of Commerce), S. Pelham (Raglan Town Board), W. Donean (Taltapuna Borough Gowned). L. IK MeAtplne. E. McGregor. C. Cargill. E. Ctttforth. E. C. Warner (MorrtosviMe). €►. W. Hovne (BJstow Drainage Board). T. S. Grace and F. Strange (ObJue-murt County Council), JL W. Henderson (Matamata County Council), C. Motion (Franfttin County Council), J. B. Thomas (Piako County Council). J. McGregor (Kirifciriroa Road Board). J. Watson (Papa toe-toe Road Board), F. Shannon (engineer Matamata County Council). W. 11. Mandeno (engineer Waipa County Council), S. C. Mactey iWaipa County Council). F. F. Ilwckley (Parawera, representing' Te Awamutu Hydro-Klvetrleal C'ominiHee), 11. W. Atkinson (Wtorohanga Chamber of Commerce). M.. C. Lawson (Te AwaiMittt). .1. A. Puncan and S. Irwin Croofce* (Auckland Hydro-Electric League). H. Roche and C 11. Bycroft ecambridge), J. Tanstey (Mt. fto»kill Town Board). E. W. Wiggins- (Onehtmga). W. A. Fletcher (Taumarunui Chamber of Comemrce), D. Fulton fTttakau Town Board), .1. W. Vosper and M. Price (Matamata Town Board), E. W. Porritt (Paeroa Chamber of Commerce). €». Buchanan (Thames.Valley Dairy Company), L. Cassrel* (Pae-' roa Chamber of Commerce). W. C. Bfcson (Thame* Valley Cream Company). P. C. Peterson (Cambridge), A. I*. Hawkins, F. C. Barnyard (borough engineer, Cambridge), E. JL Veale fCambridge), F. C. Hansen (Thame* Valley Sub-Pro. District Farmer;** Vnion). A. Reeee, J. Morison (Te Aroha) F. R. Linton (Te- Awamutu Farmers' Union), J. €*. Wynyard (Te Awamutu Son-Pro. District Farmer*' Union). F. Jackson (Kakepuku Road Board). George Kay (Wharepapa Road Board). Sv Clark and L. G. Armstrong (Te Awamutu), D. W. Jones- (Thames- Valley Hydro-Electric League).and Broadbent (Kawa Drainage Bis Met). Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from Messrs J. A. Young. and R. F. Bollard. M's.P. Both gentlemen sent their good wishes. Mr Parry's Views.

The chairman read a telegram which ttad been sent to the Waikato Time* by Mr Poland. M.P.. a* follow*: — "Cilving evidence before the .Induslrfe» Committee of the Mouse of Representatives 1,i»6 Frhtay. Mr Parry. tlovemoteot Electrleal Engineer, stated that he had strongly recommended the CJovernment to take over the Waihl Co»paßy v » plant at Hora Hora immediately, ft* provided for In the eomIMUjy'a license. In that event he could take all the necessary step* to distribute the surplus supply available Irom that source and could also use part of the surplus for eonstruetlon purpose* for the bus works at Arapuni. Me was- making a strong recommendation to purchase these works, supplying Power lo the Waihl C.ompawy and t» establish a district ofttee at Hambridge or Hamilton. He thought there wa* likely to be a bfg industrial development In that neighbourheod. and the farmers- were also crying out for power. The Waltoi Company's business wa» eraffieient to pay working expenses and Interest on the capital. Jt would need more capital to Increase the distribution, but this would |K*y for itself. Some money would rerplre to be spent on the plant to make it suitable for the Government purposes." N««<t for United Action.

The chairman also read a tetter from Mr J. A. Young, >!.?.► in which th* writer thought it would he a mistake for the Hor» Hoi* plant to he accpsmxl t>y an electric power hoard. Me considered it shoutd he owned by the State, i*nd boards set up to buy and distribute the power. It ww imperative that strong and united representation should t» made to the Government in thisdirection. Should the Government not he favourable to the immediate acnttistticn of the works, then he would recommend that a board be formed to t»k» them over. the chairman satd the Mayor of Auckland had that day made an iropwtant pronouncement, evidently ttntittpnting the present meeting. The view expressed was worthy wli cons iteration, hut he (the speaker)could not hut feel tthat *he Mayor of Auckland did not reSHfte the position as it was realised in th» Waikato. »f they had to provide the money to inaugurate works, it would perbapa he better to concentrate on a North Island scheme, as suggested; but .it Hora llora they had an established plant, which was not working to its full capacity. Te see such an economic loss taking place daily, end not to take steps to remedv it, was an indefensible atfr tnde. They shonfd not wait until tingreat Jforth island scheme was put m hand. Mr Swarhrwk gave ms legal optnwn on the? powers provided under the Bill E»ssed during the reeent session. The oirernrnenf had a monopoly of the-water-power of the Dominion, and under previous Acts had the power to delegate ft* rights *» toeal bodies or companies, or to> construct works arwt supply electricity. The Art of fast session went fnrther,, !»nd gave pnwc* to constitute an electric district,, the focal bodies to elect members of the board. They could tiros have a hoard winch provtded the whole thing, or a board which distributed the? power provided by the Government. , ~ . . ~ „ Mr F Strange (iOnsaemnrti County Council and Thames Valley Hydro-Ktec-trtc lieacne wasln favour of the Government taking over the Hora Hora works, and tocal bottroV being set «rp> to distribute the power H«r realised that

this would W onlv a drop in the bttckrt compared wHltJi what would eventually tie r-^uired. \h PniM-an fTakapHua Borough - i'oarftl> ajueed. It was for experts, to -»y v. tiether the power »t Hora Hora would supply all requirements, ine-luu-i-rt-' .i:t< dettiand* from Auckland stih tt-rU. He thought the fJovernment should tat-e the first steps*. It was gtfißc: So he a forge question, esper-ially itftm the I'aruters-* |>«>int of «']p tt '- Mr Strange m««ved that the Govern, nient l«» tw take ovr-r the Hoi-> Hora works. 50,000 h.p. Required. Mr S. Irwin Crookes (representing the Auckland Hyfro-Elrctrk said there had heen a roisapprehejisJion regarding ch© attitude of the League He could say that th© majority of the members we«e definitely in favour »l the acquisition of the Hora Flora work* a» a preliminary step in the larger srherue-.. The "license owned W the Watht Company allowed lor their right a and rr>ncc*»tons to he secured Ly the Oovernment Ttie new Act stated tint the Government might delegate its powers, and he wanted to know whether this applied to existing a£tTcemen«<. If n hoard was set up, would k he nhle to acquire Hora Hora on the same tenm a» the Government A very ionscrvalive estimate of the power required »n New Zealand wa* h.p. pe«: ttW J d of population. AucKland city »«d »n«>urhs, assuming thai the City Council and tramwavu Uied the power, would require 25,0(1)0 h.p., and fully another 2"»,0QO h.p. woml he required outside tho metropolitan area. If in the province there was a demand for ">O,OOO bp.. Hora Hora would tide them over for only a Tittle while. U was merely the hesinning. of the question. Mr Swarhrick said a hoard had the power to acquire works, hut. not h»ving seen the agreement lie-ween the \Vatht Comapny and the Government, jte ronld not say if a lnwrd e*»uld acquire Hora Hera . ~ . Mr lloeklev (represrnlmp n rfi»tr«.-l from Ohanpoi' So lltjrohanga, and trom the W?dp» t» the Wwikito wi'h Te Aw.tmutn a> the centre) »aid a lei*une had heen formed in hi* diatriel. and it had heen decided to form a lioard. with the ohject ol ohtaining power Irom the Government. He roiigratulated them upon the large attendance and the enthusiasm displayed, and said the same had apparent at Te Awamutu.. He was pleased that there was gwina t« he unanimity in favour ot th** Government acquiring the Hora Horn works. In the '>est interests of the dis trict the matter should test- with the Government and not nHh one large hward. A.* *rtch a ho«rd inns-t he coinposed of rtO't more than 12 memhers. and were* Wt*ppn "JO r.nd W local h*»dtes. it t-rtuld not -he proin-rly ref>r»sentative of th»» whole district. The Government should he urged to acquire the work* and hnild the main transmisstnn iittes. and »>oa.-ds set up to retail ttie power. Tk-v should have a seriesof hoords. one in each district, to look t*fter the interests of that |>artienlar dj*trict. Hora Hpi'ii was just the heginring of » larger scheme. They must rememher that th.- power would not he rushed at onre. and they were not likely to "et very che-*;» power or light until the his: seheine was eslahlishrd. _ Ihif Hora Hora would aet as pc etlneation »>. to the vnlU'- of elertrieity, and wo«M lead to a demand for the larger |>rwp*>sal. Messrs Graee (Ohinen*nri> and J. li. Thomas (Pinko) said their C'onnei's were in favour of the Government nequiring Hora. Hora as pari of Ihe greater scheme. Tlte latter considered that the waat of electric power had kept the country hack long enough, and th.Feopte must insist upon the water Wing aritessed. Mr Henderson (Mayor of Pevonfrort'a«ked Mr Roelr» v if it was true that there was a place in the Wnikato River, ncir C*artiit>ridge. whieh. if dammed, wr.s eapphtc of devclooinc 2O.0d)« h.p. Another Aspect of the Question. Mr Ro«he said he helieved this could W done. The river near Camhridge enteed a gorge, and hy putting in a tlatn power could lit? developed. However. he did not think this desiraMe. and did not rc-omrotend it; hut it was there if required. He would like to pur. forward another side of the question to that expres. Ed liy previous speakers. The power available at Hera Hora was insitu'eienfc for the whole of the Auck. land province. Wellington. _ llawke's Ilay and Taranaki were pressins; jv«'r» partrenlar sehe'ives; it seemed to W understood th»t Auckland would get priority, and wt v should take iw» aetieu which would prejudice the larger tchemo. If the Government acquired Hora Hora, at the request of the people, it was- orohalde that the othe-; provinces- would insist upon their ehtitus leing considered Wfore anything further" was done for Auckland, which could hardly expect to get two scheme* hefore the other districts got one. They should not take any steps to put the Government in that position. By the teeal hodtes forming a |mwer hward the matter was taken out of the Government's, hands. Thtr Government had the p*>wer to resume a hoard at any time, so th«r creatien of such Sxrard would n*rt "»e inimical to their interests. By forming a power hoard they could hrinj; pressure te War on the Government to go :>n with the larger s«-heme, which, if t)es«in now, would take ti-n years to complete. In this distriet people were- paying tip to £.>o for horse-power to work machinery whieh they ought to have for t-l or t*"». .Mr A. lirtird (Taitmarnnitt) o|>p*»:.e-d anything vthieh v.omhl delay tlw larger sehemc>, whreh "fiaek-Moi'kers" .like himself wantefl to s*e po.'hed. a- the> wanted the power as mneh it* the ih<trieti adjaeen l : to Hora Hora. The C«o. verowiefvfc should f>,. urgent fo *;o on witi* this scheme. Hon llota wontd nnty atl'ord relh'f for great demand whieh existed, and whieh was likely to hecottte more acute. He would not he a stumh-hng-h»oek in the way of the loeal Ixinlies near at hand forming a hoard and obtaining the power from Hora Hora. Mr Irwin Crookes mentioned that Mr Parry, in a recent report, advoeated th.Arapuni. Mafyy»h«e and Waikuretoo-t-tna sehetnes. and reeomntenrle*! the aequire* ment of Hora Horn as |>art ni the h-ty seherne. Mnrfi ha»l heen heard of a statement that it would taKe tew years to complete the ht<»seheme, full! tie wou f »l fifce to point out that Mr Parry, in his report, had said th.*t it wt-nld prohaihly take- ten years Co rontr.p>fele the wrirtiS in him p: - op»wat.s—Arapuni DfJ.HOO h.p.. Mt». ngahoe 2t,Hl'lt> Fi-.|>-.. Wai-karetrvoaieii tO,Wl(i> h.p,, and t.Fie eonsfmet.fon «if hofmc in.OHKi of lines —not that it would take IO years lo put through' the Arapuni alone. He Was sure the people m the Artekland provinee wonhl stand tr>j;elher I no one district Wanted to keeo another rlrstrie' hark, for they realised phut U one developed the other would he helmed.

District Board Advocated. Mr E. Wal«% rrprpspntlns; thr CamI>ti«tg*» »iwl Pttkefeura Rnotl fioarrl*. «*V vocatcd the formation of a powrr liour*!.

and v. as np|H*-H<l in the Government doins the v»»i k. With one lioard they tvmild In- aMe u> select the best brain-, el' the whole district. The history of public work* in New Zealand was not sueh as to make them eager to put the scheme in the hands of the Government. Ho suggested that n power l«oard be set up for the Auckland distriet. Horn Hora was quite inadequate to .supply Auckland. Mr «». Parr f Hamilton Chamber of Comnic'!-••*») thought the two proposals shootd be combined, and referred lo as the Hora Hora-Arapun" scheme. He pointed onl that power from Horn Horn would be used for the erection of the dam. etc.. at Arapuni. The chairman said the immediate districts must get the supply first. Distant places might not get power now. but by helping the Hora Horn scheme they would be taking a step toward* the bigger proposal. .Mr Morison (,T« Aroha} wished to help, but desired that the larger scheme should be gone on with. Mr Pickett (Te Awamutu] urged lhal they must grasp at electricity at once, and must put some time limit upon the Government. Soon the politicians wwiM be looking for votes, and might dangle the proposal before the electors. They should hurry up the Government, and consider what to do if it would not proceed with the scheme. "Put them out," said a voice.

A representative of the Suburbs or Auckland wanted lo know how (he people in the extreme ends of the distriei were affected. The ehairuian said there was not sufneienl margin of prospective supply lo hold out any particular hope lhal Hie sulmrhs of Auckland would be supplied at present. Mr Roche explained lh.il there was r.oli sufnepenl power available at Hora Horn now. but the planl was capable of Steins increased lo develop 2."l.000 h.p.. and this would provide sufficient h> supply Auckland suburbs, to the extent of a»)00 or fiOOi) h.p. .Mr Yeah: moved, as an amendment. Iltat an electric power district be Treated, and the necessary steps be taken to constitute a board: and that th? Mayors of Hamilton. Cambridge and Te Awamutu. with Mr Roche anil the chairman of the local bodies represented at the meeting be appointed a committee to give effect to the foregoing resolution. ""Mr Roche seconded.

Mr l». Tansley (..Ml. RoskillJ said the sttpresled scheme seemed to be purely a Waikato one-, and did not go far enough. Mr lutein* i.inehunga} agreed. Mr Mel'hail (Birkenhead) urged lhal a start should be made with Hora Hora. as the first step in the bigger scheme.

Government Acquisition Approved. The amendment was defeated, and Mr Strange** motion, altered to read as follows, was carried by a large majority the • "overnmcnl be urged to acmiire forthwith the Hora Hora works as a lirst step in aid of the larjre-r Arapuni scheme." The second point on Hie agenda paper. fMiieeTniinr the- area to he covered, was md considered pertinent at the- present stage, and was deleted.

The chairman said the next matter for consideration was what steps should |»e taken to attain the object they had in view.

Mr l.awson (Te Awamutu) slated thai Mr Stewart had interviewed the Minister, and Mr Parry in Wellington, and the latter had stated that it was his ambition to see th** Uovemmcnl committed to the- Hora Hora scheme. and guaranteed lo have a staff at work before he left New Zealand in a few weeks' lime. They should send a deputation to Wellington immediately to interview the Minister and Mr Parry. There was need for haste. Mr Parry was keen lo have a start made. Mr Irwin Crookes (Auckland) drew attention to the fact that the HydroKleetrie Leapiie had 150 local bodies a rill ia ted Willi it. and had funds, a Secretary- and organisation. It had done pood work, particularly the president. Mr S. Ilarhutt.

Mc •!. Parr president Hamilton • JMinher of Commerce-> pointed out thai ttie Chamber had no standing Willi the Ce<\eminent, not being a local body, lie thought the Mayors and chairman would carry more weight, and would he pleased to See the executive Comprised of representative men from all over the province. After further discussion it was resolved that Hie delegates present b« a committee, and that the executive of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the executive of the Auckland Hydro-Electric Power League lie all executive;.

Mr Morison tTe Arohal moved that every local body be invited lo send a delegate lo form part of a deputation to wait upon the Minister and Mr Parry at Wellington. This was carried hy a large majority.

Jt was resolved to ask Mr .1. A. Young. M.P.. to arrange an interview with the Minister at an early date.

A delegate desired lo know whether dairy companies would be considered local bodies for the purpose of the deputation. They were likely to be Hie largest consumers.

Mr Hockb-y moved that lll** South AucMaud Dairy Association, which was representative of She whole dairying hdere.-d".. he asked |o send one representative.

Several other delegates thought that tho didrv ««>im|>anie.s should not Ik* individualised. They Were represented ofi the local bodies. Mr Hockley's motion was declared carried by a majority of on*".

In reply to Mr Clothier f'Te Aloha) the- chairman said lhal each local body sendins a delegate would he expected to pay hh evpenses.

,\ vote- of' thanks to the chairman hfou.a-ht to a e|o*e one of the most successful meet.tugs, ever held ill lll'* district, and one which should have far-re..„• Sung effects perhaps- har.lly realised af present.