CHEAP POWER WANTED TO PUSH NELSON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 9 June 1927, Page 7

CHEAP POWER WANTED TO PUSH NELSON

(To the Editor)

<^j ri — ~s\ Y Jas. Wyllie is rendering the Nelson district a great service by the tenacity with which he slogs away in his efforts to get some , definite , move (made to establish a'power board, and a hydro scheme for Nelson. Why du we si't down and do nothing at the first breath of Government official's discouragement, of anything we ask for? is' it not a. most unenviable characteristic of both present and past leaders of our public bodies, with now and then an exception—as in the case of Nelson's steam generated electric, plant, which iias proved such an outstanding success. All electric schemes, and especially hydro plants, require for obvious reasons a stand-by plant; and it was generally understood that the Nelson steam plant was to act as a feeder or a creator of demand for a hydra scheme. This it has done to a surprising extent. It was always equally well understood, that when such demand was created and a hydro scheme established the Nelson plant would provide an excellent stand-by. The writer has previously argued that while the recent canvass was excellent so far as it went, it did not represent, except to a small extent, the demand for supply of electric light and power that awaits a cheap power-providing hydro scheme, and plant in the Nelson, VVaimea, Motueka, Takaka. and Golden Bay districts. • As shown by Mr Wyllie the purposes to which electric power can be and would be applied are almost unimaginable, in their scope when a cheap source of supply is assured, such as only a hydro- scheme can assure. Mr Wyllie, by his reference to even a small portion 'of the, demand that is waiting for cheap power, shows a waiting demand for fully 2000 k.w., and ' there is scope for quickly doubling this demand. Mr Wyllie voices a general view of this matter in expressing the hope that saner wisdom will quickly prevail on this public question than has and still does prevail, with regard to other wonderful assets and schemes for the betterment and benefit of a greater Nelson. One example is the miserable I dwarfed attitude of our leaders towards the Tahuna beach improvement scheme. We may take it that the Mayor (Mr Mof'fatt) will not be averse to a full reconsideration of this advocated scheme of hydro generated power and that he will "make it possible to send a more encouraging reply to-the Tahunanni Town . Board—a reconsideration even in face of the. opposition it will meet, with from well-known quarters. That, may prove one of the wisest steps his Worship will take during his present term of office, and may do something towards achieving Mr Wyllie's ideal of his Worship "leaving this district better than he found it" by bis achievements as Mayor of Nelson, which should be everyone's ambition and aim.—l am, etc.,

PUSH NELSON

P.S.—ls it not a fact that of all the power board areas into which the dominion has been divided, Nelson is the last—or one of the last —to set up a power board or to propose its setting up? 7th June*