ELECTRIC POWER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9568, 26 January 1917, Page 6

ELECTRIC POWER

CITY COUNCIL INTERESTED GOVERNMENT TO BE URGED TO GET "MOVE ON.” At the meeting of tho City Council last night, tho power stations and tramways committee recommended that the council make urgent representations to the Government at the earliest possible date as to their proposal with respect to a hydro-electric scheme with which the council could link up its electrical undertakings. Councillor Earner said the council should bring pressure to bear on the Government in tho matter. A conference of local bodies in the Wellington district should be called. Councillor Fitzgerald said tho time had arrived when tho Government should he urged to do something to harness the water-power of the splendid rivers they had. He hoped some good would come of the council’s efforts in tho matter. Councillor Hutcheson said the Government was engaged in war work, but that was no reason why tho officers who had been engaged in hydroelectric work should be allowed to “waste their sweetness on tho desert air.” They were anxious to get to work. He had read a statement to the following effect; “We were unprepared for war; for God’s sake let us not ho unprepared for peace.” They ought to have all the data for tho moment when they could give effect to it. If steps were not taken at the right moment the trouble would bo irreparable. They had just about reached their limit at the present time in regard to power capacity, land and buildings and the ratio of increase in electric motor power was slow. If the matter were not dealt with quickly it would matter little if all the streams Were harnessed or not. because the council would he committed to a heavy expenditure. Some kind of palsy seemed to possess on this question. When they were asked to go anything they clung closely to the rook and did nothing. Tho war was no excuse for inaction, whilst they had officers who had a vast amount of data already gathered, who should be allowed to formulate a scheme for acceptance or rejection. Any pressure that could be brought to bear on tho Government would ho justified, even if it disturbed the peace of mind of those 'estimable persons the Ministers. The Mayor said that he agreed with tho views expressed. The tramways were working up to their maximum at present. Tho engineer had reported from time to time that it would be considerably cheaper to bav« ono source of supply than two stations. If they were going on as at present, the council would have to get alongside water-power. They were not asking the Government to do anything that would disturb them from prosecuting the war. Special engineers had been brought out for the purpose of developing the water schemes of the Dominion for hydro-electric purposes. They had done splendid’ work at Lake Coleridge and had been engaged latterly in making surveys and preparing plans in the North Island. For a long time they must have been doing nothing. if the council were given tho necessary data they could determine their policy—whether to make the best of present conditions or accept tho Government scheme. On the motion of Councillor McKenzie it was decided that a conference of local authorities and those particularly interested in the southern part of the North Island be convened at the earliest possible date, to make representations to the Minister in accordance with the recommendation of the committee.