WAIMAKARIRI POWER SCHEME.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12586, 22 August 1901, Page 7

WAIMAKARIRI POWER SCHEME.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Your correspondent “Practical” opens his letter in this day’s issue with the following, indefinite preamble:;—“Seeing the dilemma into which the City Council has got over the scheme for harnessing tho Waimakariri it is high time that they took steps to look about for another source from which to derive power for lighting the city, etc.” Then follows a suggestion that.! Lake .Coleridge might serve the puv,\yiur ‘.'.Practical ” explain'what dilompia Hie ..Council, is in? .Your con tern•porary. The Press ” is. seeking to create the impression that .unforeseen difficulties and opposition have sprung up, audio get •rid of. this creature of. its imagination suggested the. Empowering-Bill now before the House, of Representatives’ should bo withdrawn. , ,?

What are the facts at the present moment? ■ The, opinions, of four engineers have been, -piiblisbed. Mr A. D. Dobson, angineer,-, who has had a wids experience of the habits of Canterbury rivers, sbeafen.with., confidence of The possibility of utilising the waters of the Waimakairiri fdrfgefieratingielectrical energy. His estimate* of-the-Cost may prove too low, but it must; be remembered that it comes from an engineer who has handled Canterbury rivers- previously. It is obvious that Mr Dobson could .make more elaborate and more permanent headworks if he spent more money upon them. Professor R. J. Scott, in the “Lyttelton Times” of Feb.' 1, 1901, said of the scheme: "To my mind the scheme- is feasible from an engineering standpoint, -and advisable from -a social ’st'andpoi'uf!f TSi 'The question is whether it is ibOmiftlrcially capable of achievement.” -Mr Gj Phipps' Williams, iii his criticism of The scheme, concedes-its feasibility whilst drawing attention to some of the possible engineering and legal obstacles. Mr R. Hay, the engineer engaged to on Mr Dobson’s scheme, after dealing in detail with the possible and probable difficulties which may or may never'arise, says; “I hara.no doubt that the actual works for conveying 500 or 600 headl of water from the Waimakariri to the ate ol the" proposed power-house can be successfully carried out, and subject to the risks I htuve pointed out I estimate the cost of the work, etc., etc., at £54,700.” The Council and the public cannot be in any doubt as to the feasibility of the project. The extent bf the risks to be encountered varies in the judgment of the gentlemen quoted almost as much as do their, estimates of cost. Mr, Dobson estimates the cost of headwoxks to the point whore they connect with. the power-house at $513,722. ■Mr G. Phipus Williams builds up eft estimate of £BO,OOO. Mr R. Hay thinks £54,700 would bo sufficient, whilst Professor It. .1. Scott thinks-that the headworks complete, with wheel pits, foun--. datibns, power-house "and turbines may- be secured for £45,000.' In. Professor Scott’s estimate no separate amount is given for, headworks only, but it would probably be. a very liberal estimate to say ) that his £45,000 provides £35,000 for headi works only. Adding these four estimates together and ,'taldng their average wo have, the sum of £45,835. ’ T3tc real cctrf will as likely be below this sum as above it, just as the difficulties conjectured may fail to be realised in actual experience. ■ The Sydenham-, Linwood and St . Albans Councils stated their objections to the Empowering Bill now before the "House, and frankly -admitted that they desired to- see the city ' carry through its project successfully. '' Their objections being reasonable were speedily and satisfactorily dealt with by the Council’s Special Committee. The objections 'of the Selwyn County Council and the Ashley River Board requite te b* argued upon the brotd grounds of the respective rights of the parties concerned, and I have no doubt his Worship the Mayor, and Messrs A. W. Beaven and A. x>, . Dobson will, qbly defend i»he ■tion before the Parliamentary Committee, who' will jtidge the matters in question,. , ' Differences of .opMqn .variations .inestimated cost. are inseparable from any large undertakings. , The. Council are quite right in pressing forward the Empowering Bill this session so that when its investigation df the project as complete the matter may be , referred to 'the people for,"their decision, in a constitutional rraajanes> sad ■wT-thout any further delay., , . Apologising for length of reply, which I trust will allay any nervousness on the part of your correspondent.— l am,, etc., • • PROGRESSIVE.,Christchurch, August 20.