NO HELP FROM SOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20604, 1 July 1930, Page 12

NO HELP FROM SOUTH.

LIMITS OF WAIKAREMOANA.

HEAW LOAD IN AUGUST.

AUCKLAND BOARD'S POSITION.

[BY TEir.EQKAI'H. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Monday.

After the Minister of Public Works and the Prima Minister had addressed the conference of Auckland provincial power board representatives to-day regarding proposal;! to meet the power shortage in the province, the Leader of the Opposition, Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, asked whether it would not be possible to put into action standby plarta in other parts of the island by linking Waikaremoana with the north. He would like to know how the department proposed to deal with the position in the event of a power shortage during the next five or six mon"h;i.

Mr. Coates thought there would be little difficulty in nelccting tho essential indus tries in tho city to which adequate power should be available. It was certain that the primary producer was facing a difficult position and farmers should at least have sufficient guarantee that power would be available to them at no added cost. Mr. Coates hoped figures would be given so thai; the economics of tho situation could be intelligently considered. SHateraent by Mr. Furkert. Mr. F. W. Furkert, engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department, said it would like as long to connect Waikaremoana as to carry out the suggested alternative. In aay case the demands on Waikaremoiina and Mangahao were growing so fast that it was doubtful whether there would be extra power available from tbosn sources by tho time Arapuni could .V connected with them. Aji ho saw tho position tho Auckland plant must be administered by the Auckland board. The extra unit was to be instsillecl in the board's station and would bis primarily required by the city as the other boards did not appear to be short. (Ironical laughter.) Continuing, Mr. Furkert said there might be a "pinch" in August, but it should not be very severe. As the days lengthened the Auckland load would fall off and tho Auckland station could feed back to tho farmers. It was essential that in the meantime tho load should bo regulated. There' was no other remedy except tho cbvious one of doing without. The plant ia tho Waikato would bo run by the Government, and power would go on to the lines just as if it were generated by wafer. Installing Waikato Plant. Mr. W. 11. Parry, Labour member for Auckland Central: How long will it tako to instill a plant at Huntly ? Will it tako lenger than the installation of the plant £.t King's Wharf? Mr. Furkert: About three or four months longer, but tho position will not be so bad, as Auckland will bo feeding back by then. There will ha no hurry about erecting a plant at Huntly or Ngarun/Wahia in that case. That work could be done in 12 months if we took a chance. Mr. Parry: Someone has been talcing chances already. Mr. Furkeit: I never take chances, anyhow, unless tho interests of the country are at staks and I have to. Mr. J. Dean (Franklin) said his board was concerned about the milking machine load during the next two months. He considered it was "up to the Public Works Department " to give the power required. How that should be done was a question for experts. Power boards expected a 20 to 25 per cent, increase every year in the early stages, and their supplies should be put beyond doubt. He was there Ho advocate the installation of the steam plant at Huntly and tho linking of Waikaremoana to secure the advantage of any other plants in the island. Ho Extra Charge For Power. " We aro ready to co-operate, but wo think tho Government should find all tho money," said Mr. Dean. " Our finances will be affected badly enough as it is." Hon. W B. Taverner: You are not going to bis charged any more for power (applause). Mr. J. T. Johnson (To Awamutu) protested against any suggestion of "taihoa" policy. Mr. Tavurner: I did not suggest that. Mr. Johnson: But the engincer-in-chicf suggested that because the Auckland plant will be ready by about April there should bo no hurry about the Waikato plant. Mr. Taverner: There will bo no "taihoa." Mr. F. T. M. Kisscll, chief electrical engineer to the Public Works Department, said ho anticipated the most difficult period would be August and September, when the milking load would be growing to its maximum while the Auckland winter load would not have declined sufficiently to leave much to spare. Further restrictions might bo required during that period. Auckland Board's Difficulties. Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, chairman of the Auckhnd board, said there seemed to be some misunderstanding concerning his board. "When Arapuni supplied all our demands we tried to build ut) a big load," ho said. "We guaranteed to take 15,000 kw,, but wo have just about doubled that. Now our progress has been our undoing. Wo were thrown upon our own resources at a moment's notice and we aro not getting one pennyworth of power from the Government. "The other boards are still getting Government power at the old rate, but it is going to cost the Auckland board 60 to 70 per cent, more to generate current because of tho cost of coal, and we will lose anything from £50,000 to £OO,OOO on the year's running. We do not know how long the people will stand these restrictions which are retarding the whole progress of tho province, which represents one-third of the Dominion. "A National Responsibility." "We have secured an option over a 15,000 kw. plant which can be installed by April and we will then he able to help tho whole province, but that does not reliovo the Government of the responsibilil.y of securing further plant. Tho unit would bo shipped in November and meanwhile the foundations for enlarging tho station would be put in. What we aro laced with is that the other hoards are assured of their power and aro not paying any more for it. while wo have to face this tremendous loss, "Had vso not had King's Wharf, Auckland would he a doad city. While we do not intend to make any profit out of the power wo return to the county, wo think we should get the price it actually costs. We claim that the responsibility is not our"—it is a Government and national responsibility."