PUBLIC BENEFACTOR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 5 March 1935, Page 4

PUBLIC BENEFACTOR

DEATH OF MR ROBERT ELLIS A UNIQUE PERSONALITY FATHER OF WAIMEA ELECTRICAL UNDERTAKING A CHAPTER IN LOCAL HISTORY The death occurred in Nelson 'last evening of Mr Robert Ellis, who was responsible for the Waimea electrical undertaking and was a well known settler of the district over many years. In numerous ways Mr Ellis possessed a unique personality. There was in him that rare combination of the visionary and the practical, often misunderstoood, but withal compelling admiration and esteem for a complete abnegation of self in the furtherance of an ideal—in his case cheap electrical energy for the people among whom he lived. Many will remember his old one cylinder Cadillac ear. The front seat had been removed (it formed a bed in the powerhouse over swirling waters and adjacent to whirling wheels). Single-handed large poles were unloaded by dislodging one of the wheels of the “ear.” Many, too will remember the old cow-cover often used as a cloak when working on the poles in wet weather. But with it all there was an innate courtesy and gentlemanly conduct in every particular. And this enthusiast with his frail physique, hut keen alert, eyes, was also carrying the main financial" burden of the works, though in later years lie was wise enough to enlist other assistahee. IN THE NAVY WITH KING GEORGE Tlie late Mr Ellis was born in 1861 at the homestead “Iva” in Uxbridge, England, being a son of the late Mr and Mrs Richard Ellis. There were twelve in the family, Mr Percy Ellis, of Guernsey Island, now being the only survivor. The Ellis home was later acquired by Lord Howe, a member of the Royal staff. At an early age Robert Ellis joined the Navy as a trainee on the training ship Britan? nia and it was there that he received his education. King George was a fellow trainee on this vessel. At the age of about 21 he left the Navy and came to New Zealand to join In's elder brother Richard Campbell and Louis Frederick, who had taken up property in the Motueka Valley. The brothers owned a large sheep run of 17,000 acres extending along the Motueka River Valley from Motupiko to Gordon's Knob, A few years later Mr Robert took over the Motupiko portion of the property and commenced flax milling. He was successful in his flax milling operations and disposed of sections of his property, the greater portion of which is by Mr W. B. North.

In 1888 Mr Ellis married Miss Kate Evans, daughter of one of the pioneers ot the district, at Motupiko. Mrs Ellis' predeceased her husband in 1916. Of a family of three sons and two daughters, one son and one daughter survive; Mr Howard Ellis (Tahuna) and Mrs R. Best (Foxhill). One son, Stanley, died at an early age. Mr Levinge Ellis, who was in the Engineers’ Company of the N.Z.E.F. was killed in action near Armentieres in trance in 1916. Mr Howard Ellis also served with the N.Z.E.F. The eldest daughter, Evelyn (Mrs A. Birkett) died m' Wellington about eight years

HOW HE BECAME INTERESTED IN ELECTRIC ENERGY

About 30 years ago Mr Ellis was engaged in the flax and rope making industry at Kohatu. He felt he required new and - improved machinery for the venk and for this reason he made a Lip to England. While there he became interested with advances that were being made in electrical apparatus C* 1 n? 1 } 1 , 1S r ulß “ ud cooking, so much “ mt , brought back with him a sma 1 plant for his own use at Kohatu , 1 fighting and heating his home. This ne installed using water power from the ? unnin * through his profieity. Tins plant was so satisfactory and economical that it suggested to him He idea of giving a public supply of electricity and from that time he looked °“ lld f° r a suitable situation. lhe flour mill at Brightwater (origin, ally erected by Mr Saunders) was on t.io market for sale and its central situation m the Waimea district, together with its immense possibilities for greater development of power, so appealed to him that he bought it and proceeded to make a start.’ Mr Ellis often said lie was not at all interested n flour but he took it on as a means to tins end.

BATTLE WITH AUTHORITIES

i ll is w ?f li , lc beginning of a unique battle with the authorities, both local and national. The late Hon. R. AlcKehzie was Minister of Public Works at the time and he-said it was quite impossible for Mr Ellis to do what he intended as there was not sufficient power. After a lot of argument and mr m nmeh Dersistence from Mr Lius. Air McKenzie concluded by saying Oil, well, you can go ahead as tar as Brightwater.” However, furine r obstacles were placed in his way and Mr Ellis had to give up "the idea of supplying electric energy tc the public and devote his attention to flourmaking. About a year afterwards the late Rt. Hon W. F. Massey came into power and he brought out from England, Mr ‘ arry, an eminent electrical engineer to advise tlie Government on hydroelectiieal schemes for the Dominion. It is not difficult for those who knew him to imagine Mr Ellis busy about his flourmill at Brightwater, probably in bis well-worn engineering jacket and cap, when one day Mr Parry walked into the works and said: “I understand bat you wanted to start an electric supply for this district. I found a pile of correspondence in my office about it and thought I had better come over myself and see if anything could be done ip the matter.” Mr Ellis said he had given the idea up on account of opposition both from tlie Government and local bodies. “Well,” said Mr Parry, “I have come over to see, and if I find you have plenty of power I will arrange for you to get a license and will arrange a complete, scheme so that you can go ahead at once.” Mr Ellis always said Mr Parry was a good fellow and had none of the prevalent tendency to discourage private enterprise which was characteristic of tlie Government. Mr Ellis thanked him heartily and said he would make a start.

LICENSE ISSUED AT LAST

As soon as .Mr Ellis received his license lie found it had been issued, subject to permission being given by local bodies. On applying to the Waimea County Council for permission to erect lines on the road, he met with a definite refusal; The Stoke Road Board, on hearing this offered him the use of their load to Richmond. This was the road that runs parallel to the main road

along the foot of the hills. While Mr Ellis was preparing to act on this the County Council changed its mind and wrote to Mr Ellis stating lie might use its road provided he kept close to tlie fences and erected and supplied free of charge a number of street lamps in Brightwater. Mr Ellis declined to accept such conditions and eventually, the Brightwater people held a meeting and agreed that lie should be paid for any street lighting. All this being settled Mr Ellis, proceeded to erect his lines in Brightwater and on to Richmond. This was in 1912.

LIGHT AVAILABLE

In a few months time Mr Ellis was able to supply five lights in Brightwater and eight or ten in Richmond, the total revenue amounting to an equivalent of Is per night. The whole of the work was carried out in accordance with Mr Parry’s specifications, iron rails being used for poles which lie advised, and aluminium bare H.T. wires with a 40 k.w. alternator driven from new turbine which he had installed. The plant was erected in a concrete building near the millrace for convenience, as lie was running the flourmill in the day time. Houses were rapidly being wired and he was soon able to supply a good load, which although giving a. useful side-line revenue, was too small in itself to be profitable. Mr Ellis always said it was really the revenue from the milling business which enabled the electric supply to be carried on at all. Mr Ellis used the profits from the mill to extend his lines to Wakefield, Stoke and later Tahuna, using the large mill turbine at night to cope with the ever increasing load.

A LOCAL SYNDICATE ENTERS

Mr Ellis proceeded on in this wav until 1918—and for many years the districts mentioned were enjoying the benefits of electric light while the I City of Nelson was without this facility. In 1918 Mr Ellis accepted an offer from,.a local syndicate Go; purchase the .whole undertaking and went back to liis Kohatu property for two or three years. The syndicate met with several difficulties and they asked Mr Ellis to return. He did so and set to work to relieve the overloading of the works by erecting another powerhouse a short distance down . the river below Brightwater on the site of an old flax mill. After straightening out other matters the syndicate decided to take over the concern again and Mr Ellis returned to Kohatu, but not for long as continued trouble caused the Government to threaten to close down the plant and the syndicate again appealed to him for assistance: This time Mr Ellis decided to return for good as he felt it would he unfair to consumers who had wired their houses if they were left without a supply.

A MATTER OF HONOUR

Mr Ellis was not under compulsion to return but he always said he knew he could bring the business back to a profitable and successful footing and lie deemed it a matter of honour to the consumers to return.

As stated above, Mr Ellis came hack this time with the intention of staying and he stipulated that a new company be formed and that the syndicate should retire from the management ’ which should be under his entire control. This was in 1922. Mr Ellis’s first step was to correct a trouble in the race at the upper station due to a silting up at the intake and causing a shortage of water. Ultimately it became necessary to make a new race from an intake about half a mile higher up tlie river where there was a rocky bed that would not silt up. ' This would also give four feet greater fall, so he botight the land required and started the excavation, advancing ■ the money from his own pocket—a sum . of about £IOOO. This was the kind of thing Mr Ellis did all through his career—in fact—when he returned to Brightwater he put hack his money into the undertaking at a time when the Government was threatening to close down the works. The work was practically finished with only a strip left on the bank of the river when a Government officer from Wellington came on the scene and said "I hear you have been digging a new race to 'the river. Do you know that you have no right to do so?” Mr Ellis replied, doubtless in that quiet, refined manner so characteristic of him, that he thought he could dig on his own lapd. The officer asked who surveyed it and took the levels. Mr Ellis replied that he had done so himself, to which the officer finally remarked: "Well if you let the water into this race you will get into trouble.” This was a severe blow after all the trouble and expense Mr Ellis had gone to but he said nothing at the time. Very shortly a flood i 'blocked the intake of the old race and lie sent a telegram to the Department: “Intake blocked; no light to-night unless new race used.” A reply came back giving permission to use the new race and with a plentiful supply of water the people had a good light that night. Various other improvements were undertaken by Mr Ellis but he was incessantly being overtaken by increased demand, involving further expenditure.

ARRANGEMENT WITH CITY COUNCIL

The supply to Tahuna was presenting a-, special difficulty. A large increase in load at a distance of eleven miles from the power house would require a new H.T. line so Mr Ellis first ottered to transfer Tahuna to the Nelson City Council but the Council retused to consider it. He then suggested to the Tahuna Town Board that they themselves should obtain a supply direct from the city. This also fell through so lie approached the Council or a bulk supply for Tahuna and came to an agreement which was later extended to include Wakatu and Stoke, “ l 6 company had been paying over S; 100 ? a. year to the City for this sungly. (Tins figure has increased to £1300). Having placed matters on a satisfactory basis Mr Ellis set out to transfer Ins undertaking to the public through a, row er Board which lie urged should be set up to acquire the works. Failing tins he said he must seek some security of tenure to attract the necessaiy capital to enable further improvements to be undertaken. The first 1 rovisional Power Board Committee was set up at Stoke, which district Mr Jiis always remembered as giving him timely help when needed. A Power Hoard was eventually established and acquired the works, Tims the way was cleared for full development, of the hydro-electric resources of the district.

SERVED WITH THE KING

“When we were honouring the toast of the King said Mr R Ellis at the complimentary gathering in his honour when the Waimea Electric Power Board took over the works at Brightwater “I could not help thinking of the little midshipman with whom I served in the navy 55 years ago, now none other than King George V. Mr Ellis, as a matter of tact was instrumental in saving the future King from a serious, possibly fatal accident. The midshipmen were called up from below and when ascending a. steep ladder Prince George fell back and was caught by Midshipman Ellis who managed to retain his hold andthus prevent both falling