HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18103, 11 February 1922, Page 9

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

SOUTH AUCKLAND LEAGUE, [by TEUiQRAJPH. —CORRESPONDENT., HAMILTON, Fridaj.

The South Auckland hlectric Power Boards' League mbt to-day, tho boards represented Deing Central, le Awamutu, Cambridge, and Thames Valley. A letter wa s received from the Public Works Department refusing the league's request lor basic killowatt mile chaiges considering them not in the best inteiests of the district generally. The department also refused to allow ten per cent, discount on power taken in excess of allocations. . The Minister for Public Works said he noted the league's statement that tho present system bore unduly hard on the Thames Board, as a portion of the current wa3 taken direct from Horahora, thereby saving the Government tho cost of further transmission lines. He regretted, however, ho could not see his way to Rive any board preference just because it happened to be situated nearer the source of power. It would be obviously unfair to make the wholo country liablo for interest invested in these undertakings and at the same time give a particular locality the benefit of reduced charges just because it happened to bo situated adjacent to a power stats°n> . i ~ Mr. W. P. Gauvain, engineer to the Thames Valley Board, said ho was quite convinced the basic chargo would come eventually, but the Government was now more concerned in getting revenue. Mr. H. A. Goudie, conservator of State forests, waited on the leaguo and outlined the scheme for planting large areas of cheap land with trees suitable for future use as electric transmission poles. He emphasised the difficulty at present in getting suitable poles and also the great cost. The league decided to consider the scheme at its next meeting.