HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19060, 3 July 1925, Page 11

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

SUPPLY FOR FRANKLIN. AUTHORITY GRANTED BOARD. PURCHASE OF PRESENT PLANTS. [BT TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON. Thursday. By Order-in-Council published to-day tho Franklin Electric Power Board is authorised to erect electric lines, transformers and sub-stations for the transmission and distribution of electric current. Tho board is also authorised to purchaso the electric works belonging to tho borough of Pukekoho and the Franklin Electric Supply and Trading Company, Limited, in terms of deeds executed in April last. Further tho board is granted a license to use electric lines within its district and tho outer area of tho district. Electrical energy is to bo received iu bulk from tho Public Works Department at Pukekohe, such supply being assisted at any timo by tho suction gas generating stations at present existing in tho district and acquired by tho board. Tho charges to consumers aro not to exceed Is a unit for lighting and 6d a unit for heating and power. Other charges to consumers are also defined. SOUTH ISLAND SCHEME. LAKE TEKAPO AS SOURCE. ♦ SURVEY NEARLY COMPLETED. [BY TELEGRAPH.- —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. Tho report of thif Public Works engineers who went to Lake Tekapo lately to report on the possibilities of a hydroelectric scheme there is being anxiously awaited by tho residents of North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid-Canterbury. Mr. T. D. Burnett (Tomuka), in, tho House of Representatives to-day asked the Primo Minister, Hon. J. G. Coatos, as to tho position, as one of urgency. A party of public works engineers had been at work at tho lako for three months, ho said, and tho report would be welcomed. Tho Prime Minister said the survey was practically completed Mr. F. T. M. Kissell, chief electrical engineer, was at present in tho South Island and would got into touch with tho power boards concerned in due course. The chief electrical engineer and tho chief public works engineer, Mr. F. W. Furkert, would meet the people concerned and go into the merits and demerits of Lake Tekapo as a power source. NEW RAILWAY TIME-TABLE. EARLY ISSUE WANTED. INCONVENIENCE TO PUBLIC. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. " In view of the serious inconvenience caused to tho travelling public, will the Minister for Railways expedite the issue of tho new time-table, and will ho give some idea of the date it may be expected 1" asked Mr. L. Mcllvride (Napier) in a question without notice in the House of Representatives to-day. Replying, tho Hon. J. G. Coates said he regretted that it has been a matter of inconvenience to the public as the intention behind the whole thing was to give convenience. The time-tables would be printed somewhere about tho middle of July. It was the usual thing to advertise in the district concerned or give publicity to tho alterations through the traffic office. If any other way could be suggested to convoy the information to the public the department \vould certainly take advantage of it. The department, ho added, quite realised tho importance of circulating tho information as soon as possible. THE GROWING OF FLAX. ! HAURAKI PLAINS AREA. POSSIBILITIES OF INDUSTRY. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. A plea for the encouragement of flax growing on tho undrained portion of the Hauraki Plains was made by Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames), in the Houso of Representatives to-day. Mr. Rhodes said that according to tho official report of last year three-fourths of tho 35,000 acres not yet drained was moro suitable for flax growing than for any other industry. However, it was useless to expect anyone to grow flax on land under a tenure of only seven years. At least three years must elapso before a crop of flax gave its full yield.» Ha appealed to the Minister for Lands to "get a move on" and have legislation passed this session to meet the difficulty. * Flax growing, ho believed, was destined to become one of New Zealand's leading industries and promised to give employment to immense numbers of people. It deserved tho best encouragement tho Government could give it in all parts of tho Dominion. New Zealand already supplied a largo part of the world's requirements for cordage, but flax iibro was useful for other purposes than ' this and fabric made from it had even been mistaken for silk. At present thoro were three flaxmills on tho Hauraki Plains, but ho hoped that before long there would be many more.