LAKE WAIKAREMOANA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16800, 16 March 1918, Page 6

LAKE WAIKAREMOANA.

The trip to Lake Waikaremoana organised in Napier has more; than a. parsing interest for Auckland. The purpose of the excursion is to familiarise the visitors— of Parliament and representatives of local bodies— the lake as a source of hydro-electric power. The possibilities of Waikaremoana in this respect are undeniable, but in the scheme submitted by the Chief Electrical Engineer it takes third place. Sources nearer the great markets for electricity in Auckland and Wellington are preferred because they minimise the difficulties of transmission. Auckland's interest in the hydro-electric schemes is to get cheap power made available for distribution in the city and province at the earliest possible date. For this we can hardly look to Waikaremoana. The Chief Electrical Engineer, reporting on the order of development, said: "Waikaremoana scheme should be deferred for the present. ... The Auckland and Wellington schemes should proceed simultaneously." An effort was made recently to give precedence to Wellington; now Waikaremoana is being brought to the front. It is well that these movements should be followed by Auckland members of Parliament and public bodies so that the rights of the city and province shall not be prejudiced when the time comes to assert them. Advantage may also be taken of the prominence now being given to Waikaremoana to emphasise the importance of completing the connection with Rotorua. The present trip shows how far Waikaremoana now is from the regular tourist routes. The visitors had to assemble in Napier, drive from Napier to Wairoa on Thursday, and from Wairoa to the lake yesterday. With a road from Rotorua this magnificent lake could be more easily approached from the north. Only some 14 miles of road require to be made to complete the connection. At present the beauties of the lake are practically locked-up. With the road made they would be open to all pleasure seekers, visiting and residential. No tourist comes to New Zealand without visiting Rotorua; with this road finished none would leave without seeing Waikaremoana.