POWER SUPPLY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 24 October 1941, Page 6

POWER SUPPLY

SOUTH 1 SI. AM, SURPLUS CABLES UNDER COOK STRAIT.' Dunedin, Oct. 23 An interesting possibility was raised i ! by Mr E. F. Nicoll, chairman of the ' I Ashburton Electric Power Board, when - ho commented a few days ago on re - I mils brought forward at the annual t conference of the Electrical Power 1 Boards and Supply Authorities. Association. “A highly-placed official •' told me m Wellington.” Mr Nicoll said, M "that he thought the time would come when power would be supplied to the 1 i > ortfi Island by cables under Cook , Strait.” No doubt that is looking well into L the future, but Dunedin manufacturers, ’ , and probably also those in other South I Island centres, regard the forecast with marked disfavour. The president of the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association. Air J. C. 11. Somerville, summed up their attitude when he said to-day that there was every opportunity for i industry in the South Island, and that . , it was only reasonable that with all j other things equal industry should come r'■ to the power instead of the power J going to industry. 1 “This suggestion may be only a surmise of the future,” Mr Somerville > , said, “but it is one that will be rc- > j garded apprehensively by South Island ’ manufacturers. There is every facility 1 | that a manufacturer could require 1 ; right here in Dunedin, and it is only } , commonsense to make use of oppor- . tunities that are waiting to be taken l before attention is given to a scheme of exporting power by cables under 1 Cook Strait. When the South Island’s ; requirements have been fully met. and its possibilities adequately exploited it 1 will be ample time to start thinking ! i about sending surplus power to the • North Island."—P.A.