PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 350, 18 March 1922, Page 3

PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR.

LAKE TEKAPO VISITED

(Per Press Association j j TIMAHU, March 17. The Right Hon. W. K. Massey visited Lake Tekapo today accompanied liy the engineers of Ihe Public Works Department. He was met there by about 309 representatives of the agricultural, pastoral and industrial interests, 'ihe object of the invitation was to impress the Prime Minister with the potentialities of Tekapo as a source of electricity, and to convince him that the report uf (he experts was correct that ’tekapo offers an easy, safe and cheap source of power. After an inspection ot the river which it is proposed to harness, Ihe details of the scheme were explained, and a, number of speakers expressed a, strong ’desire that the Government should attlhor- , isc the provisional power board to proceed, j Mr Massey received Ihe statements and argument 1 ! sympathetically. He said the scheme seemed to him as a layman an excellent one, particularly as no dam Wits required. In his opinion there would he no power available for South Canterbury from Lake (bleridge for the next 15 or 2C years as North Canterbury would want it all. But before Tie could say “go ahead,” he must consult his colleagues, and he promised to do this as soon as possible. He hoped to be able as a result of the consultation, to send a wire convoying' a favourable reply. Mr Massey went on In the Hermitage. He returns to-mor-row and catche.l the boat for Wellington.