WEALTH FROM WATER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 12 January 1921, Page 4

WEALTH FROM WATER

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER" GOVERNMENT'S POLIOY PROMISES OF GREAT PROGRESS ■■ 1,.' ■■'.'/.v' Throughout New/ Zealand .fanny thousands of people are hoping great benefits from the development of hydro-electric power. For this ' faith in the profit to conle they, chit | quote various statements of Mr Evan j Parry (formerly Chief Electrical Engineer), and his successor, Mr L I Birks. | NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION , In his report of the South island scheme of hydro-electric development ; presented to Parliament in 1916, -Mr I Parry remarked:— . * { “The development, distribution, # and marketing of electric power on a ! comprehensive scale has since the war ■come to be generally recognised as one of the most essential agencies in i national reconstruction. . . The;war has made it imperative that the nations shall bo re-organised on a . national scale, and that in future.the inarshalling of the forces of production must be a definite and conscious function of the Government of a country. “New Zealand now at the outset of - its career as a nation, hiis a unique opportunity of securing the utmost possible efficiency for all time by developing its water-powers oh such a scale, and providing for such a wide-reach--1 ing system of distribution, that electric power shall become available -to every householder throughput the Dominion and available ati ahy/pomt where circumstances require " the application of power.” ;, L ■ ' £10,000,000 FOR NORTE ISLAND At a conference of members pf- electric power boards and provisional committees in Wellington on 3rd 1920, the Minister of PhbUC' >WOr% (the Hon. .1. G. Coates) gave ah ihdication of the Government’s policy in regard to hydro-electric works. • i ‘ “The financial importance of the hy- ! dro-electrio developments,”., said.. '|lr Coates, “may ho judged from .the estimate given in Mr Parry-’s -repoyhldf £7,303.042, for the, tem. At present prices cost considerably over £#>000)600., And the South Island schemdsi cost nearly as much, again ;VW « that developments, immediately in place the outlay oh hydroelectric power, on a footing yyjth that pfrajlways and' the telegraph systems /of the Dominion. ■* ■ ; v•. • 'tj ''V,. . ; “-This * is: the outlay by -the. fipyajm* ment alone in carrying, thp r, works and the transmission : Jines : v to. the main centres of distribution, ;Ah . expenditure 'in amount is required to - distnbqte. : tbe power to the various-tonsumpr? throughout the country. Thrive the function of the Electric, Powersaws. Without, this reticulation it would be impossible for the large power-users and-'tne consumers in the larger towns.;# obtain, a supply. Although very ; tor this purpose, ,tl?0 :main benefit yhat '■ is - anticipated ;.from . hydro-electric power in New Zeajaiid; lies' in . itsvdis--1 tribution to the country distnq#,..tßJfc stimulating agriculture, making .Me in the country more attractive, audmelp-/ ing to s#m the flow uf population from .the country #to the cities.,: coup#** diErtHbitttisn |x elect# for Abisi purppse and having Jurisdiction. a 4ss#; areapinera# #g. both end’Gonsiimers-’v It this; object tha t Boards ? legrsf tetioi*#|»v]b#nraeiV / . ’ ■, ■ cEDNCrriONi... L . Further reference tpAthe Government’s position mirelataon to' local authorities'was made in the Public Works Statement of last year in, this passage-: “The function of the Government ih i connection w ith hydro-electric supply I consists: essentially in the construction of v main generation . .statdonn , main transmission lines and shtesto- . irons from which the power , will, be sold in bulk to the'loc&l distributing authorities. The latter will be left the duty pf reticulation-and retoil sale. The Government policy will he (to throw upon local organisations prnb, tically thP whole business - of the • Atn* dertakings other than the prui*afy generation, high-tension transmission, and sale in bulk.'ln the past the only i local authorities available’ have been the fiorough-and county. cpi#qils, /but in qrder to • a 'specialised organisation, the -Electric- , Power Boards Act, 1918, was passed: This Act, provides that several adjaCerit .local fiistyicto - may unite and set up an Electric Rower Board with fating powers; The provisions of this Act have now been taken advantage Of by ten electric-power districts. Although the Act provides for in?®? 1 outer areas,fxabst. of the boards haffe tokens# pf their an inner area qE, sjty of settlement;’; thus their Aohfideftce in; the. back; country, jm&m 3# py farmers who R#* gresflive to' mdko. teU mapf 1 o£, M ug “rod* vantages of electric -power .supply -‘to't “FULLY JUSTIFIED ‘ ‘Tlfie success of the sbhemetf, al#ftfiy in operation and the evet-increastok difficulties in obtaining supplies of fuel oil,” continues the official statement, “have combined to create an widespread, and fully-justified demand for the immediate development of New Zealand’s water-power resources. Financial considerations require thj& schqmto'once ; JaffnCli# ~ brought to a paying' stogetos quickly as the available supply of labour ahd material wi11,., permit- , engineofsva?d; rdtiie? gether with the necessary office assistance, have, .• .ther!efo#/r!;-p^n!..'.en-gaged to specially t With-. Electric undertakings. The whole of the; energies of these officers will be concentrated on the completion, of the schemes, and on- the supervision! nnd , the assisting of the Power Boards and other distributing authorities. As circumstances requite, their . lumbers will be added to. JjaftheF' legislation dealing with hydro-electric 'mhiiterii is under careful consideration. In th® meantime,- it is proposed -to up ah Advisory Board consisting ofi-husinnss men of standing.# advise the Government on .various questions connected with the husiness, managementi of its power undertakings and on questions ; of policy in. connection wjth the development, distribution, ‘and sale of hydro-electric power. ‘ GROSS SAYING OF NEARLY >, £8,000,009 A YEAR In his statement At the August 5 * con* ference Mr Coates .envo very Impressiye estimates of the savings he effected by an extensive" hy-dro-electric power. , . * “The normal total consumption of coal in New Zealand,” the: MihiSteif said, about 2,500,000 #U? P®? year, worth over £6,000,000 delivered 'into the boiler fires,Of this;^Dto 26 per cent is. used on the rhilWiftys and coastal shipping, and; probably..another 25 tier cent in domestic fives, ’ &M----works, and in direct heatiUg, whlch, can be done more ecohoi#sEy by cdal..

' 1 ■' ■ . "I Tnel'than by hydro-electric power, | le’avihg about one-half, or 1,250,000 1 tdlris, worth;over £3,000,000, which is; directly replaceable by electric power. | In. addition, the . firewood which can be. replaced, and particularly the la-j hour iii getting and cutting such Wood | On the farm, is probably worth £250,000'0r more. The value of the mineral oils (beneine, kerosene, and ihptpr-spirits) imported, mainly from America, anioujated in 1918 to £1,120,000. Of this at least one-half,: consilting of kerosene for lighting and kbrosene and benzine used in station*try engines and city deliveiy lonics,, will be replaced by a fairly complete supply of hydro-electric power. The annual saving based upon the present, fuel consumption is this: —Goal, 1 £3 000,000: firewood, £250,000; minSlJiis, £560,000; total £3,810,000. ike normal extension of the industries during the next five years, as well asi; the immediate extension of the use of i; all facilities as soon as electric power,; is available, such as domestic sweeping ( and washing, electric-chemical mnnu-J factures and steel-smelting, limestone-] crushing and the hundred-and-one in-jj dustries that are awaiting the advent ] of cheap power to ensure their exploit-; i etion will result in a gross saving to!] the public of quite double this amount. | i In hydro-electric supply we are thus; j dealing with the early stages of an in- ; dustry which has scope to grow to ; enprrnons proportions..” ! ;(The second article’will be concerned j mainly with the question of hydro- < electric power for the Nelson, Marlborough, and Bullcr districts.), ■ 1