HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3235, 10 April 1917, Page 2

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Tho problem involved in making tne best use of the country's water-power i J one of the most important matters with which our public men are called upon to deal. Just now, of course, there can bo nothing ia the nature of actual progress. Under existing war conditions money, for other than war purposes, is short, and the necessary machinery is not available. It is, however, pleasing to know that the centres more particularly interested, including Wanganui, are moving with the object of clearing the way for definite action as soon after the termination of the war as possible. For nearly an hour on Wednesday morning the Minister of Public Works (Hon. W. Eraser) conferred with representatives of the Wellington City Council and adjacent local bodies on the subject of the possibility of tho Government inaugurating % hydro-electric scheme which would obviate the necessity of their entering upon a series of minor schemes for the generation of electric power for local purposes. The deputation put before tho Minister the pressing needs of Wellington in particular, and the adjacent local bodies in general for a larger volume of electric power, as already emphaised, and, in regard to Wellington particularly, it was urged that the city should know what the Government proposed to do in the direction of developing tho water-power, before committing itself to further expenditure on steam-production. In replying, the Minister said he could not consider the Wellington scheme without considering schemes for the whole of the North Island. Mr Parry, Chief Electrical Engineer, had prepared an interim report on the subject, which he would hand to tho Press. The first question to be considered was the main source of the supply of rower. One of the first tilings Mr Parry had thought of was to get ono central station, oat 1 central source of power, for the whole of tho North Island. It might have been possible to do so, but there were difficulties in the way, the chief being that tho lines of transmission would have had to go over very long distances, perhaps hundreds of miles, and there must be a road alongside. Proceeding, the Minister said it had been decided —so far as they could decide anything at present—ti have three sources. The source for Wellington would be tho Mangahao River. The total cost of supplying Wellington, Palmerston, Wanganui, and district would be £1,000,000. That would include the transmission plant. In any case, 1 owever, Parliament would have to ass the scheme before anything could b< done. He recognised that Wellington would be the biggest consumer, and therefore produce the largest return in the quickest time. But it had to be remembered that while the war was en machinery could not be imported. In the course of :i long and exhaustive report, Mr Parry, after reporting adversely on the Hutt River as a source of supply, and pointing out the advantages offered by the Mangahao River, strongly advocates tho policy of concentration. As regards the area to be supplied, Mr Parry points out that there is an economic limit to tho area over which a given amount of power can be distributed, and one of the obstacles to a satisfactory scheme of power supply in New Zealand at present is the small amount of power required jier square mile oi area supplied. Having regard to this principle, and stretching it to the limit, we should, he says, be working on economical lines in serving the following districts from this source—the whole of the Wellington province as far north as Taihapo and Wanganui, and tli« southern portion of Hawke's May. He proposes in the first place to run trunk lines to Wellington, Palmerston North, Wanganui. and Masterton as chief centres, and from those centres, as well as from intermediate points on the trunk lines to provide the ne'jd'vsary disfirihution lines iand sub-stations to serve the surrounding districts. It k quite probable, :, s Mr Parry -ays. that the development, of the Mangahao would help Wellington out of a difficulty, but it is not so certain that It would prove the he-t and movt economical scheme for llii- coat, and it will be lor our repre-enlal i\ e. al the forthcoming Palmerston Confer elico to endeavour to secure lull and im partial consideration for any alternative scheme which may seem belter suited to our interest-.

He (earnestly): "And now l.hut. we are engaged, Ethel, will you piny foi me?" She: "Oh, no, George. I've hem praying for you for the pn.il. eight years: hut now that T'vo trot you, I thank Heaven for vou."

WKATIIKR VANK I,K<!KNI>. 'I lio (il\ ill I.<> 11 < i<> ii liMh Mime i >«*< • 111 j:«r \iiiiioa on ilio i>l snnit< i»l iN rlnin lii's. Tlin Miii-I curious ill :ill :ir«• llin ,"i .1 ■ 11< 11 >| M I Miiir nil till' I {ll \: 11 l'!\i Inilino : 111 • I llir <I r; l)' 111» oil i In- Inlty >,|oe|i|e ol Iti.u Klrcd, ill rii<'i.|iMil<' 'l lir (Mildi'ii j• i:i•..11111>|■ i Mir, tin' crest <il Sir I liniiijr. (in" limn, tin* iii'cml- inert limit of (Jihicii Klr/.:il'et li'h l«• iKI' n<' il win wTio 1111111 tlie lii-it. Itoyiil K\i iiinl mi it min 111111• i ii|■)ii u|ii In Ie I lull,. 'I lie low er I' |III < 1 (111 :« 11 I 1111 1 ill 111 -:l 11111 ll I '.till ill". plily III" til ln «> A li'i;eiii| |>i unlit.lcil i linnet i-i a In I li< ( it v "I I.oin|n II \\ Inn t lie j I ii.-.sliii|i|n i i.l I lie, If ■ i vft I - it ml ! tin 111 f> f: 11 ii uf ll.ni ('lnn ill 0i1..i11.1 ill nr. I Tllio oce.ini il l.i I"- en ol el In I <ll •|•< II 111 j I i I It .in m-ji HI ilr.il .1 .ill i. 5 i n|i I H Mnl 11 V 111 Li ill II: i nil i. tj. .Ii i mi in 1 1. 11 in I t.inl.l 1., it 11. »■ II I" tlio

Monument in the City side l>y side with tho Albert Memorial in Kensington (Jardens. Hut the mooting took place, somo fifty years a<io, when the dragon nnd the grasshopper wore taken down at the same time, to ho regihled, and reposed side h\ s ; de in the same yard, hut nuthiiijj hay)|>ened. r.ASIKU. All old HMj.'e.iiil entered the hnrraekloniii In di'lail the morning exercise of Inn .<•. tii lii'i driver^. " Mrnci' Stulilis, ride >■>, Itsid II ; Diner Walker, rnlo V lead l(i; Driver Small, rule I, lead I," and so oil, untll n'l men nnd liursrs u ore detailed. " Xiiw, vmi "II understand, don'! vou?" mill lie u :i,i !ill'llll lii lea \ e, w hen Di iver Nino i t ineel 1\ e \ il.i mied, "Please, serf•«• • < i'l , I Inn m l limit' niiii h ruling he- ••• ••' mill 11111• I vmi 11111111 il I rule mie '"•I'll mi.| Ir;111 Hi,' nl Iht I inn