NATIONAL HYDRO-ELECTRICAL SCHEME.

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13947, 27 July 1918, Page 6

NATIONAL HYDRO-ELECTRICAL SCHEME.

(To the Editor.) gir,—X read, with much interest th.o proceedings of your Philosophical Society which appeared in your issue of Saturday last. . Mr Clausen is to bo congratulated on his outspoken remarks and he is doing a public service by openly discussing the merits of a national hydro-electrical scheme as against one that at the best can be but a makeshift,, as every well-wisher to the district must fully realise. Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, M.P., has expressed himself in no uncertain manner, apd X regret to find that youxv Mi’ Buick, M.P., is not yet converted to a national as against a scheme like the one proposed at Mangahao. Mr Vernon and Mr Colquhoun fully appreciate the difference between a local and a national scheme, and once let the people realise the benefits that null accrue to this country by the utilisation of the vast storage of water power that is awaiting Government exploitation, there need be no fear as to the rapidity with which the work will be carried out. No country in the world can show moic favourable water conditions than this North Island of ours. Mr Clausen explains as to his travels in Norway and other Continental countries, and I have seen what the Americans are doing and have done, and I say that nothing in America —the States and Canada alike —is having so much influence on the social, industrial, and commercial life of the people as the development of hydro-electrical power such as Niagara and a hundred streams and waterfalls provide in that wonderful continent of North' America. Electrical development is going to alter the whole life of the people following the war. Hydroelectrical power is of greater iinpoitance in production in providing conveniences,, in fostering home life, in encouraging the establishment of manufactures, and in promoting hygienic conditions in homos and factories alike than had ever been hitherto devised by the wit of man. X notice in a trade index that a friend placed in my hands this evening that in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, more than ten thousand residents arc provided with all electrical lighting conveniences for 90 cents — 3s 9d —per month! So, also, in Christchurch, North Canterbury, which is supplied from Lake Coleridge, 22 per cent, of the customers pay less than 3s per month, and 33 per cent, pay less than -is per month on the average! At Sunnyside Hospital, near Christchurch, electric energy is available foi heatings cooking, refrigerating, pumping, milking, shearing, ehaffeutting, sawing, sewing and ironing and other laundry work. Between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m. it is used for hot water heating, at no additional cost. By combining all the operations named and keeping a graphical record of the demand by means of a curve-drawing watt-meter the energy at the hospital is obtained for all purposes at a rate below two-thirds of a penny per unit. I quote these facts from a paper in the “New Zealand Journal of Science,” published in Wellington in January last, and written by Mr Birks, B.Sc., the electrical engineer who carried out the Lake Coleridge scheme. Wliat is done in America and North Canterbury can be done with wider beneflts in the North Island if Waikaremoana, the Waikato river, and Mangahao arc linked up as a national scheme. Although so much is being done in England in war matters, a Reconstruction Committee has been at work dealing with electrical pow-cv and coal conservation. An interim report has lately been submitted to the Prime Minister of England by Lord Haldane, the chairman of the Committee, but had it boon submitted to Sir William Fraser our Minister of Public Works, it could not have better explained the advantages of a. national as against a local scheme such as your Mr Buick advocates. By enlarging the generating stations in. England, which at present number 600, of 5000 average horsepower. it is said that s;> million tons of coal could be saved annually in the present output of manufactured products, representing a loss of 15 million horse-power! Thus it is stated in the interim report of the Commission that “a national scheme of electric power supply would greatly facilitate the electrification of railways with its attendant advantages, save large sums of money at present spent on the transport and distribution of coal, and bring within roach of the community as a whole the groat benefits of an increase in the use of electricity for domestic purposes.” Then there is a direct recommendation for the establishment of a. national electrical system so as to provide large generating stations of 50 thousand or more horse-power. England has no water storage such, ns wc have in New Zealand, and our lakes when utilised ns they must be will become of more value than all the coalfields of England. Nature has provided us with perennial supplies. Coalfields are worked out, but our lakes are filled again and again ready for the development of electrical energy that can be used in a thousand ways for man’s needs and comforts. I cannot think that Mr Buick fully realises that all people in the North Island are justly entitled to participate equally in any national scheme such as is now provided in the case of the post office, education, and so on. All the loss in England to-day is the outcome of dealing parochially instead of nationally, and surely with evidence such as I have quoted and which might be greatly added to., it must bn evident that, in these days of external competition the nation itself must come to the help of the people and supply to all what is a necessity for all, if progress, production and the general welfare arc to bo considered. Economic, conditions arc altering rapidly. The time was when manufacturers in the same town or district cornnet ed on against the other, but the time has now come when country competes against, country, and science in the one country against, science in another. Fverv citizen must lie eqniuped with the best the nation can supply, and ns means to an end light, heat, and power from hydro-elect ideal sources are prime factors in economic production such as

are demanded to-day. A local hydrocleetrical provision for 30,000 persons when ten times the number of persons are asking for a similar supply, which, too, is available at tho proper source, represents a non-appreciation of national duty and an indifference to modern ideals and wants. A national scheme embraces all the parts, and it is urged that the national hydro-elec-trical party of which Mr Clausen, Mr Vernon, and Mr Colquhoun arc worthy members are doing a public service in urging a scheme that shall include all tho parts and provide for the North Island aud tho Dominion generally light, heat, and power at almost npunudl price. Every citizen and settler snould urge on the adoption of a national hydro-electrical scheme without delay. Following the war competition will play a groat part in the commercial and industrial life of the nations, and our country will be wise if, anticipating what is coming, it begins to make the necessary provision so that when the time arrives our people will be ready to compote in tho strenuous race for place and power that must ensue following the termination of the war. — I am, etc., H. HILL, Chairman East Coast National HydroElcctrical Association. Napier. 23/7/1918.