HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17293, 17 October 1919, Page 9

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

WAIKAREMOANA SCHEME. DEVELOPMENT URGED. DEPUTATION TO MR. MASSE [Br TELF.CTRA PH. —SPECIAL REPORTER J WELLINGTON. Ttmnxjar With the object of urging the Government to proceed immediately with the development of hydro-eie-tnYa! power from Lake Waikarernoana, a depnt.itif.n representing the Hawke's Bay ,-,,Vl K.i-t Coast districts waited on the Prime Mini? tor yesterday morning. The deputation was introduced by Mr..l. \ i-. : or Brown, M.P. t- - Napier, who staged that the people of this important district ft- i themselves handicapped compared wit:, other parts of lb., Dominion which enjoved the use <■{ , !{ •', power. The people of Hawke's K»v h,!i to pay taxes to help to carry out'otiur schemes from which they receded m benefit. The claim* were supported bv S'r J i; lindlay, MP. or Hawk.-'.. Lav -. Mr' <,' Hunter .M.P. or Waijwwa:" and ' the Hon. \V. J. i.ieddtf Mr,R.M. Chadwiok said the whole Eart Coast was represented on the dt-r u;.vJ<in The claims regard in- Waikaremoana I- a source of power we,., Emitted and experts agree.] that the scheme 'would !,-, simple and economic;,;. Th o deputation in view of the intention v., develop the. Mangahoe and AWaikal© hemes, was anxious that \V are moan a. the third fe.i tur of Mr. \V. K. Parr, « North Island scheme, should not U overlooked. The-.. did not wish to he left waitin- for years * While the A<t. giving local bodies" noweto carry out electrical scheme* was vain able it would have a bad effect in i!•instance if the main schema were not undertaken. Gisborne, Wairoa. and Havelock would all have small schemes, but none could hope to get their power as cheap! as from a large scheme. Mr. Parry had expressed the view that the fundamental principle to be followed was large central power schemes. Mr. Kinross While stated that the producers of the East Coast were at a disadvantage compared with those of Canter. bury where the freezing works were supplied with cheap electrical power and had no difficulty about coal, such a*, was experienced elsewhere. Mr. Gilbert McKay said that, if th* scheme were carried out. an immense country towards the centre of the island would be developed. Mr. Massey replied that he had been very much impret>sed with the arguments favouring the developments of manufactures from New Zealand products. He had noticed the great attention pad in Canada and the United States to working up raw products. There was a good opening for New Zealand woollen goods in America. The matter of sup piemen tine onr coal supplies was also important. As far ah the mining trouble wag concerned the outlook was more hopeful, but, it was a wasteful practice to have to transport. coal from one end of each island to the other. This was another argument in favour of hydro-electricity. There was not sufficient capital to undertake every electrical scheme immediately, and labour was ako a problem. This would have to be solved by immigration after all the soldiers had returned. He assured the deputation that the Govern ment was anxious to do justice to all pa-ts of New Zealand in the provision of hydroelectricity, and Hawke's Bay would not be. sidetracked or overlooked. He intended to take the first available opportunity of conferring with the Minister fen Pnbhc Works regarding the request of the deputation. Mr. Brown pressed for 3 pronr.fp to undertake the Waikaremoana scheme at an earlv date. . Mr. Massey replied that he could on|v ' promise to do hi* best for the Hawke's ' Bay Province, which had his sympathy.