UTILISING WATER POWER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 19

UTILISING WATER POWER.

WELLINGTON, September 1. A deputation waited on the Premier yesterday to urg© tlmt steps be taken to utilise the stream in the vicinity of'Foxton and Shannon lo goneia-te electricity for electric lighting and productive works in. the Manawatu district. It was incidentally mentioned" that there were 36 flaxmills between Shannon and Foxtou, eaoh of which spent about £500 yearly for fuel. These could be driven by electricity *or half that amount, which would yield £8000 towards the cost of a scheme. Owing to intense competition, it was necessary to run the flax-mills as cheaply as possible; therefore the Government wa-s urged to push forward the scheme in the interests of the industry. The Premier stated that £50,000 was to be set; apart for promoting electrical energy, and a separate amount would be set apart for each provincial district where indasbries were carried on and where lighting wag required. He would urge the' Minister of Works lo send an expert to the Manawatu to report on the streams. Th© Premier said he recognised that the flax industry needed and deser\*ed

all possible assistance. A movement is afoot to obtain a new trial for Mads Brodersen, -\viho at lasL sessions of the Supreme Court in Wellington was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for incest.