POWER FOR THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20076, 13 October 1928, Page 14

POWER FOR THE NORTH.

HOBSON ELECTRICITY AREA. ■ { A SUPPLY FROM ARAPUNI. NEGOTIATIONS BY BOARD. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] DARGAVILLE, Friday. After several years of seeming inactivity the Hobson Electric-Power Board has brought the installation of electric-power and light in the district within the bounds of possibility within the next two years. A full meeting of the board was held last night, when Mr. T. R. Overton presided. A report on the survey of the board s area, which includes the whole of the Hobson County and Dargaville borough, was submitted. The estimated cost of reticulating the area was stated as £109,000, and the estimated revenue for the first year's operation was calculated as £15,500Tho engineer advised the board to buy its current from the Government, which had promised to put the Arapuni power on to its boundary and had already surveyed the route of .the proposed power line.

Mr. Overton said he saw no reason why power should not bo made available within two years from the time that work was commenced. With tho inclusion of the two adjoining counties—Otamatea and Whangarei—in tho board's area, more economical working would be attained as both theso counties contained quite as many prospective users as tho area over which the board survoy had already been taken. The Otamatea and Whangarei County Councils are conferring with Mr. Overton on the question of taking a complete survey. It was resolved to adopt the report and to negotiate with the Government for the supply of power for the Hobson electiicpower district, which comprises 754 square miles and a population of about 8000.