HYDRO ELECTRICITY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 253, 20 September 1930, Page 8

HYDRO ELECTRICITY.

STANDBY PLANTS W ANTED. MINISTER’S NEW POLICY. fßv Telegraph —Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. k national policy of standby plants to supplement the State hydro-eiectric schemes is being evolvecb according to an important announcement by Ron. \\ r B Taverner,' Minister of Public Works' to a deputation of Christchurch members ot Parliament, lhoy demanded an assurance that the uepaYtment would relieve the present position promptly and provide supplementary power for the winter 10 Tlie Minister told them they need have no anxiety next winter and that ultimately Waitaki would prov icle ample power. • “The problem, " sa;u Air Taverner, “seems to crystallise in the provision of standby plants which you cannot pick up anywhere, for they have to be imported and installed. That is our first duty and I am not going to shirk it. After that, and this is of still greater importance, there should be standby provision made, and I intend that it shall be made for the future. (Hear, hear). I knowenough about hydro-electric development to realise that when dealing with the elemental forces of nature you cannot expect to use those forces just as .you like. “During the past six months New Zealand has experienced peculiar conditions in regard to weather. Me have had a shortage at Waipori, and a failure at Arapuni caused by an entirely different set of circumstances. Now we are faced with an abnormally low rainfall -at Lake Coleridge and everybody is powerless. It shows plainly that- adequate provision must be made for steamtoperated plants to take up the load when required.

“At ..this moment we are going into the whole question. It is not a small job, but I hope to be able to. submit to Cabinet proposals for a general policy in regard to the supply of electricity. The standby.plants of to-day are totally inadequate for the job and that is one of the reasons why Christchurch and other districts are short.”