Power From Lake Omapere

Northern Advocate, 29 June 1944, Page 4

Power From Lake Omapere

(Special)

Bay Board Wants License To Develop Utakura Scheme

KAIKOHE, This Day

AFTER YEARS OF CONSIDERATION AND SURVEY, EXTENDING BACK LONG BEFORE THE BIRTH OF THE FIVE-YEARS-OLD BAY OF ISLANDS POWER BOARD, THE LAKE OMAPERE HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME HAS AT LAST BEEN FORMALLY ADOPTED AS A PRACTICABLE PROJECT AND WILL BE PRESENTED AS SUCH TO THE GOVERNMENT.

Acting on a lengthy and comprehensive report brought down by the consulting engineer to the board (Mr. Lloyd Mandeno, 8.E., M.1.E.E.) as a result of nearly 15 months’ research into the subject, the Bay Board decided yesterday to apply to the Minister for Public Works for permission to develop the Utakura Valley project, as recommended in the report, for generation of electrical power. DEPUTATION TO WAIT ON MINISTER A deputation consisting of the chairman (Mr. L. Peace), deputy-chairman (Mr. E. F. Bradley), secretary (Mr. W. S. Thorpe), and consulting engineer was instructed'to wait on the Minister for Public Works in Wellington to further the application.

“We should commend Mr. Mandeno, who has had wide experience in the preliminary and actual work involved in construction of a number of hydro-electric schemes in,New Zealand, for his very full report and for his interest in our behalf,” commented the chairman. “It is many years since he concerned himself with Lake Omapere and there are recordings taken over a period of years which have proved invaluable in compilation of this report.

POWER SHORTAGE FORESEEN IN,FUTURE “It is definite,” continued Mr. Peace, “that there is going to be a grave shortage of power for a number of years after the war. This Power District is situated on the end of a long line of supply. There should be a standby—or even a main—source of supply for the four northern counties. Under this scheme, we would have one which could, in time of emergency, help out with the major power supply in the south and thus become of real national benefit.”

The chairman then outlined necessary preliminary steps to be taken before Lake Omapere could be developed as a power site and moved that (he first of them, the application for Ministerial permission, be put in hand immediately. His motion was seconded by Mr. L. M. Lane (Whangavoa) and carried unanimously. Mr. Lane immediately moved that a deputation, as stated earlier, wait on the Minister. The personal approach in these matters, he considered, was most valuable. Mr. W. J. Steed (Mangonui) seconded and the motion was also passed without dissent.