THE COLONY'S WATER POWER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 25

THE COLONY'S WATER POWER.

(Fkou Otjk Own Comikspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 22. In the course of his Pahiatua. speech, Me . Seddon dealt afc some length with a proposal that the State should utilise the water power of the colony. His proposal is that the State should find money to harness water powers and bring the electric lines within a given distance of the oentr-e or centres to be served, whence the power can be supplied to local bodies, corporations, or private individuals at rates fixed by the Government ; and any buyer who, in turn, becomes a, seller of the power must not charge more than a given rate fixed by the Government. Taken in respect of lighting, pumping, heat power, drainage, tramways, and railways, said the Premier, this scheme, if established, should have a, marked influence for good on. our industries, for if our artisans are to compete against the artisans of other countries, they must have motive power at the lowest possible rates. This the Americans thoroughly understood when they harnessed Niagara in 1895. The late Mr J. C. Firth, of Auckland, a very far-seeing man, came down to Wellington on the matter. He and others were on the move, and syndicates had been formed to secure tho rights of the Huka Falls. But from his experience on the goldfields, he (the speaker) had realised that such a great power should not be made a source of profit for private individuals or syndicates. In 1896 he introduced, and Parliament passed, the Electrical Energy and Power Act, under which local bodies could not delegate their powers to syndicates without the consent of the Government. There was also power to make inquiries, and have the matter reported on to Parliament. "Very little was done until March, 1903, when Mr Allo made his report. The Huka Falls he estimated to give 43,386 horse-power, the Waimakariri 20,000, and the Rakaia 20,440. The American expert (Mr Hancock) had estimated that 5680 horse-power could be generated from ohe Manawatu, and that from Lake Coleridge could be got 92,677 horse-power, which would cost only about £5 per horse-power per annum. "At £5 per horse-power — that is about what it will cost, borrowing money at 3^ or 4- per cent., — if to-morrow the Government were to ask Parliament to spend one million for this purpose it would be the best and most profitable investment the colony has made for years." Liglvi, traction, and heating should bo provided, necessarily out of the funds of the State, and should be municipalised. Dunedin had had to pay a pretty stiff price, £20,000 or £30,000, to a syndicate that had received rights over "Waipori Falls. Over a, 200 miles stre.toh the loss of power in transmission was only oneeighth. The distance between Pahiatua and the Manawatu was short, and there would be vciry little loss, and there would be as much power as Palmerston North, Woodville, and Pahiatua wouid require for the next 999 years. In view of the number of settlers, the difficulty of getting metaT, and the cost of transit, he thought a good! case had been made cut for a narrow gauge loop railway from the main line at Eketahuna through the back country and joining the main line again at Dannevirk-e 01* some other town along the line. He believed they could make it cheaper thai* they could metal the roads. Judging by the oost of such lines in Tasmania, they should be able to build it for not more than! £1000 or £1500 a mile. Electric traction, power generated from the Makuri Falls or the Manawatu Stream, as proposed, would! provide cheaper running than steam. This scheme was practical, and it would be a test of the Opposition's sincerity whether it would support him in getting one million. 1 to bring motive power within reach of the townjs at a nominal cost. It would be the life blood of settlement in tins back country, and in the back blocks they should s;efe surveys made and details prepared, and he would tako the view of the people on this scheme for harnessing rivers, lakes, and waterfalls in~ the colony for motive power.

Two girls who robbed a clothes line on their way home from a dance were convicted and discharged afc Auckland a fewdays ago, after having been in the police cells for a uiglifc. Three young girls wer© also before the court on a charge of theft.