HYDRO-ELECTRIC ENERGY

Otago Witness, Issue 3415, 29 August 1919, Page 42

HYDRO-ELECTRIC ENERGY

THE OTAGO PROPOSALS. CLUTHA COUNCIL FAVOURABLE. At Friday's meeting of the Clutha County Council a letter was received from the'convener (Mr C. Todd) and secretary (Mr W. B. Steel) of tho Otago Hydro-Electno Scheme Committee, who wrote on behalt of the committee, stating that m connection with the preliminary work resolved upon by a meeting of local bodies they looked to tho Clutha County Council for a sum of £IOO. , ~ . _ Cr North stated that whilst in. Tapanui the previous week he met Mr Rodger (chairman of the Southland Committee), who was speaking in that district on behalf of the Southland scheme. Mr Rodger said he would be very pleased to address meetings in this district. He did not want to force the project on this district, but only to come down and ventilate the matter. If this district came into tho Southland scheme now the subscribers would be placed on the same footing as tho Southlanders. Cr Cumming said that the Glenkenich Riding and all the Waikoikoi part of his own riding were joining in with Southland, and information was now being collected in those districts. Southland was not'wishing to get into Otago in this matter, but to come up to the Blue Mountains as a boundary. Cr Begg moved —"That the council accede to tho request for the payment of £100." If they were going to have power they would have to make investigations. They would 'save much money later on by doing so. Mistakes would be certain to happen, but the more extensive the investigations the more the mistakes would be minimised. The proposal of Southland was that, pending the Otago scheme, tl.ey would sell power in a. block. Southland estimated that within seven or ten years they would have no power to spare, and all they proposed to do in the meantime was to supply until the Otago scheme was operating. There was yet no data as to the cost. Southland had got the farmers to sign up for power, and the prices were high compared with Waipori. It did not even follow that those signing would get electrio power, as a power board would have to be created, and the matter of cost to consumers would have to be gone into by it to see if a supply would pay at the prices stated. . There was at present 110 statutory power, and the scheme was in the air in that respect. Mr Rodger had done a great work _ _ in the matter of ventilating the possibilities. He (the speaker) had been at the meeting of the committee in Dunedin the previous night, and the Southland proposal was received favourably. Southland estimated that their power would bo going in threo years, but. there were some men with great experienco who doubted if they could get any scheme going within three years. However, three years would certainly be ahead ' of Otago. He would be very sorry _ if the Clutha County stood out of participating in the negotiations in a scheme that would be of great benefit. Cr Christie seconded the motion, but would support Councillor North's suggestion to invite Mr Rodger to provide them with some facts. Cr Cumming said that the two southern

f ridings were going into the Southland scheme, and it would scarcely be fair to ask them to provide the share of the cost. The Chairman (Cr Maginness) said that Maclennan Riding would never see electricity—a bush district like that. Cr Begg said Southland would not have the power to supply later on. The maximum power would be 23,000 h.p., and they expected to be able to absorb all that in time. If the two ridings mentioned had contributed to the investigations of the Southland scheme this council would not ask them to contribute here, but if not it would be an honour to contribute now. The Chairman thought the amount a small one, and the counoil should heartily support the proposal. The Southland scheme was not antagonistic, but helpful. Cr North: The Dunedin City Council was opposed to the scheme, and therefore this council should look to Southland. Cr Begg said Southland could not supply. If the Monowai were fully developed it would provide about SO per cent, more than "Waipori was capable of developing, but any one of the various Otago schemes under review would develop five times that amount. Cr North was wrong in saying that the ■ City Council was opposed, to the Otago scheme. The chairman of the Lighting- Committee was a member of the committee to promote, the Otago scheme. The motion was carried.