WAIPORT FALLS ELECTRIC POWER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12991, 4 June 1904, Page 4

WA IPORT FALLS ELECTRIC POWER.

TRANSMISSION LINES ACROSS' TAIERI PLAIN. At tho .meeting of tlioTaiori County Council yesterday afternoon correspondence, was received from tho Waipori Falls Electric Power Company (Limited). Tho Secretary of tho company wrote stating it had expended a largo amount of nionoy on the necessary works at Waipori Falls,.and.before it conic! , proceed with tho construction of tho works required for transmission it was neces'sary to get an act passed giving tlia coinpiiuy power to carry its transmission lines from Waipori (o Hie various places where the power was iikoly to b» required. The proposed route was ono that would pass through port of tlic territory linde'r the council's jurisdiction, and tho company hoped that the County Council would facilitate, tho operations .for the 'development rim utilisation of this important aid to industry. It was proposed, amongst-other things, to t.pply (the power for all dajsc:t of factories, for private and public lighting,-for-ilraisiaae purposes, for establishing a calcium carbide industry/, fov establishing ii nitrite of calcium factory, and for motive power for gold dredges and -quartz mines in th.6 mining areas, .'eto. In u further letter the company undertook, to -erect proper poles to tho satisfaetjqn of tho county engineer Whore Ihe'jvii'o crossed tho road near .Berwick, and also'agreod to indemnify, and keep iiulemniificd, the. council from all claims, damages, and expenses wiiich might- arise out of any accident in connection- with tho said telephone wiro or poles.. The.' company Also forwarded n ocpy of its Enabling'.Bill. " A deputation from' the company, consisting of Mi-P. Duncan, Mr J., 'London, and Mr. Stark (electrical engineer), waited on tho council in reference to the mutter.

The council's Engineer (Mr J5. B. Couston) reported as follows:—"! am in receipt of an advance copy of a bill to'-be brought' before tho.GiMieral Assemblly intituled 'The •Waipori Falls Kleotric Power Bill, 190k' The powers sought by tlio company are. to (upply and use electrical energy within .in area/' of supply including the. .County., of 'l'nicri, imd'to. execute fho necesary works for these purposes. Inter alia, subject to tlio Counties Act, the company may cross or pass over or along and open ..up streets and roads and cross over rivers and bridge's, and place mains and lines xtitlior above or below ground, and lay down and place conduits~.diul ei-ect pillars, lowers, arches, ami poles, and do all other necessary works fqr supplying energy and providing telpherage ways within flic area of supply. "Section 3 provides these, works may bo undertaken subject unil without .prejudice, to tlie CouuticM Act and offers. .ids. Section 4 provides tiiat on corporation property they may, be. undertaken only upon the. consent to sucli exercise being obtained from the corporation owning such moperty. Section 5- provides that owners "of lniid entered upon are entitled to compensation. Seotion 8 provides that the company may make by-laws for the carrying oiit to the best advantage of the. electrical projects and objects, of Iho company, 'l'htso arc, briefly, the. clause's in • the bill' that call for your consideration. It will be nectary for the county to inform the member lor the district of itir views .regarding- tlio iiraposed hill at an early date' iii order that lio may confoi , ' : ivith ilic'renre.senfajivos of other local bodies affected. It is not clear to>me how far'the county is to k> enn-iitftil regarding- the. grossing, passing along, and opening up of roads and erecting of towers and poles, nor • is any provision -made ■in the.: act empowering and making! it obb'gatory for the company lo pay/ compensation for any accident to properly "or 'ifo'in tho transmission of power. ■ Tlie. council mmt bear in mind that it is dealing now with a limited liability company and not \i'ith a city corporation, and must see provision is innile even for such contingencies as llm liquidation of tho company. What will become of llm towers and other appurtenances then, and where would tho county, be if. the company were to suspend payment after any serious accident to life had occurred? The points on which I require direction are.:— (1) Does the council approve of the company supplying power within s\nd carrying power tlirough the County of Tnicri? (2) If so, does it

approve of the concessions asked for' ih the .hill boing granted without receiving any equivalent? (3) What clauses, if any, meet •vrijtli the- council's disapproval in the bill? If 'instructed on tlicso points I will consult with Mr Hosking regarding the- legal aspects of tho proposed 'enactment; and tako the necessary steps (o acquaint' Mr .D. Reid, M.H.R., and have your view placed. before Parliament." , ■ ..■■■..".

Mr J. Loudon aaid, as tlie council was aware, this was an important work, which Was going'to cost a lot. of'money. I'inaiicial men hail gone into this matter purely ns an.investment, because they thought it a very fine power, nml ho hoped the County Council would help.in cyp'ry way possible, recognising that tho power was ■ going to do good to tho district. .'With regard to power for tho county, tliocqunty was nearest to tho power-house, and tlie county would be the first place tho company .would deal' .with. With regard to its being a.limited liability company, it was a pretty strong company. It had a list just ( now of about 10,000 £1 shares, and hoped to advance' that to 60,000 shares shortly. He desired to point out that Iho company desired no monopoly, but simply wished the council to stato that it had no opposition to the. bill, and (hat it recognised-tlio--importance of Iho work, and desired rather to assist the company than otherwise.- '■ : , Mr P. Duncan, solicitor, to Ihe .AVaipori Company, said he appeared ■ tn represent tho matter to tho council, lint not as a solicitor. The council had its own;' solicitor, who would advise ,it on legal jioints. He desired to point: out that -the bill which rhe company askril the council to approve was in no way giving a monopoly. . Many years ago Parliament, when very little was known about electricity -in New Zealand, laid down the law (.lint companies or. corporations desiring to bring hi electric power for public lighting must first get a primary bilk He'would bX glad if tho council would express its opinion , .'in tho matter, anil would have mi objection to Ihe erection of the transmission lines., The company asked lwlliing witlioilt. attaching to it the liability .to pay compensation if any injury was caused; ■ Tho poles would be something like. 50ft- or 60ft high, and the disturbances of roaiis would bo very small. Parliament met this month, find hence the necessity for hnste. lie\would.lie pleaded to confer with the council's solicitor in the matter. Ho thought the council agreed thai the power would be u..good.thing for the district. The company would agree to compensation for accident clauses. Tho Chairman: Tho council undoubtedly recognises the value' of Iho power, but it must protect itself. It .is hardly enough to call a special meeting, os yon may take it for granted tho cmulcil' will agree, after consultation with its solicitor and the embodiment of compensation clauses. Mr Duncan said £100,000-would be expended on tho company's works. ' The council's Engineer said the council should be left as free from liability as now, and should bo consulted in 'regard to all works.

Mr Duncan said tho'company would agree to pay air compensation, and to curry opt works' in tho county to Iho council's satisfaction. p Mr Duncan 'mentioned tliafc an industry would be started in the district, nntl its inauguration was dependent on supply of power from tho Waipori Company. That industry would involve the outlay of £30,000 or £40,000. Or Harrison moved that tho chairman (ind engineer consult with the council's solicitor in tho matter, and.'that; it, bo an mstnielion to them to call a special, meeting if .they deemed it advisable; ■ . Cγ ' Blnckio moved an amendment that the engineer and chairman" consult the solicitor, and call a special meeting for this .day fortnight. The amqndment was" carried, olid the deputation, having thanked tho council, withdrew. . '

The opinion was generally expressed by the council that tho electrical energy would be of great vahio in, the Taieii district for power purposes, and , that the company should bfl assisted in every way possible, so long as the council was indemnified against loss in casq of accident. Tho'.council also seemed desirous of, facilitating tho installation as much as .possible, and there can be but little. doubt tlint an 'arrangement will be arrived at tho special meeting.