A GREAT PROJECT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 36

A GREAT PROJECT.

NITROGEN FROM THE AIR. HARNESSING LAKE MANAPOURI REMARKABLE - POSSIBILITIES. Mr J. Orchiston, the organiser of the New Zealand nitrates scheme, who was accompanied by Mr Holmes, civil engineer of Wellington, and Mr Leeds, surveyor, returned on the sth from Deep Cove, where they, and four men, have spent a strenuous fortnight exploring and surveying various water powers, harbour facilities, etc., on behalf of the New Zealand Sounds HydroElectrio Concessions Co. (Ltd.). A survey party, under Mr Jenkins, of the Publio Works Department has been engaged since the end of November working out the necessary data respecting the proposed tunnel between Manapouri Lake and Deep Cove for the generation of 250,000 continuous horse power. Mr Jenkins has ascertained that the tunnel will be about 54 miles in length, or about a mile shorter than was at first anticipated. Mr Orchiston states that the company has already had several overtures from both American and British financiers to find the necessary capital to develop the scheme. As far as can be ascertained there is no other known spot in the world where such advantageous facilities exist for the cheap generation of such a fine power so conveniently located, adjacent to a deep water harbour with the principal road materials in the vicinity. Hiere is no denying the fact (says Mr Orchiston) that practically all the land in the Dominion suitable for settlement has already been occupied, and if the country is to keep on progressing it must look to industries such as outlined above. In so far •s the water powers are concerned the Dominion has a mine of undeveloped wealth, and Otago haa the lion’s share. Mr Orchiston said that Niagara is the anly other power site where more than 250,000 h p. has been harnessed at one •pot from the same source. It is true, fee went on, that the Norwegian Nitrogen

Co. has yoked up a total of some 450,000 h.p at five different stations on the Rjukan River, and last year it paid a 17 per cent, dividend. Although the Norwegian company has been able to harness its flowers at a trifle less than is estimated ot the New Zealand scheme, it is handicapped by having its principal works 86 miles inland, which involved the construction along difficult gorges of two sections of electric railway nine and 20 miles in length respectively, also the erection of a massive dam to render 20 miles of the river navig able. All the taw material in the form of limestone has to be dragged up from the Baltio over four separate systems of transport for the 86 miles, and the finished article back over the same route. As regarded the Deep Cove scheme the works would be located within a few chains of the wharf on a well-sheltered deep-water harbour, and there was abundance of limestone in the form of marble within the Sounds in the neighbourhood. In addition to the Manapouri supply there were half a dozen other small powers converging or adjacent to the main power site at Deep Cove which would produce an aggregate of about another 30,000 continuous horse power, and this could all be cheaply harnessed When completed, it was anticipated, said Mr Orchiston,. that the charges for interest, sinking fund, and maintenance 'per horse power developed would not much, if any, exceed £1 per annum, compared to about 18s 6d in Norway. When one considered that the cost of generating a continuous horse power from coal in large units under existing conditions in New Zealand would probably exceed £3O per annum, and in Great Britain about £ls : the possibilities of a cheap water power adjacent to an ideal harbour was self-evident. If the whole of the power were utilised for the production of nitrates the gross value of the product would amount to about £2,500,000 per annul?- The present export of nitrates from Chile approximated £30,000,000 per annum, and 36 per cent, of the revenue of Chile was derived from the export duty of £2 10s per ton.

At the present rate of increased consumption the word’s demand would double in seven years instead of every 10 years before the Great War. It was therefore confidently anticipated that there would be a market for the New Zealand article when produced. The United States of America will be the principal customer, last year their imports of hile nitrate exceeded 1,0G0,000 tons.

In addition to nitrates there were many other products which could only be commercially produced by iheans of cheap water power. One of the most promising was the manufacture of ferro-chromium for the production of stainless steel and rustless iron (the coming metals). To produce the highest grade (by means of the electric furnace) worth £4O per ton, involved over two horse power continuous for a year per con of output. Hitherto Nevy Caledonia had been the principal source of the world’s supply of chrome ore, but recently Rhodesia and India had been largely displacing the New Caledonian article, although the latter was of a higher grade. The change had been partly caused By the fact that there was little or no back loading. In this respect New Zealand had a big advantage as New Caledonia had to import coal. Therefore a vessel could take a load of coal from Westport and return with chrome ore. There were also big deposits of chrome ore between Jackson’s Bay and Big Bay. which might ultimately be tapped, as well as at various spots in the Nelson province.