HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2644, 12 May 1923, Page 8

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

USE IX JAPAX, Mr K. V. Pancll, in a recent number of the “Trans-Pacific,” points out that “probably no country in the world is converting potential water-power into electrical energy at so great a rate as in Japan. A total of about 800,000 horse-power lias already been developed, and construction is proceeding at a number of different locations, aggregating at least as much again, so that a short time Japan twill be using 1,600,000 horse-power, the product of natural water resources. Up to the •’present time, the Dominion of Canada, with one horse-power developed for every four units of the population, has made extensive use of this source of energy, but it will be seen from the above figures that Japan may reasonably be expected to overstep this figure in ho near future, and become the foremost consumer of energy from water-power. One other significant fact: it acquires an average of eight tons of coal to produce one horse-power for one year. No less than 13,000,000 tons of fuel will be conserved annually by the present water programme of Japan when it is fully completed.” The above figures arc interesting for comparison with the corresponding figures for New Zealand. According to the Public Works Statement for last year, the power then developed in the Dominion was only one horsepower for every sixteen head of population. There is thus plenty of room for growth before the New Zealand development compares with that of either Canada or Japan. The Government scheme as set out by Mr Parry is based on a demand of one horsepower to every five head of population.