HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11750, 10 February 1919, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

THE NORTH ISLAND SCHEME REVIEWED. (Per Preaa Association.) Wellington, February 8. At to-day’s sitting ot the Parliamentary Industries Committee, Mr E. Parry, Government Electrical Engineer, gave evidence. He referred to the North Island hydro-elec-trical scheme as outlined in his report to Parliament last session. It was hasfd upon the ordinary power needs of the community and was therefore commercially sound but they had seen to it that a surplus should be available at various sources of supply to meet special requirements. Throughout the scheme they had in mind the needs of the rural population, which was more in need of power than the ordinary urban population. Mining development, which offered great possibilities by the use of electrical energy, had been provided tor. The electrification of railways had also borne in mind. In the United States that section of the Chicago MilwaukeeSt Paul system whiuh crossed the Rocky Mountains hud been electrified and the consequence was]that they had been able to double the load over it, thus improving the carrying capacity of the whole railway. A similar application of electricity might be made, for example, at the Spiral on the Main Trunk railway, and this would (Increase greatly the usefulnes of the whole railway system. The so vantage of electric power in mining development was particularly great because, accoiding to expert opinion, mineral deposits were small and scattered. He knew from applications they had received for nower that there were many deposits which would be worked but for the tact that they were not large enough to warrant the installation of a special power plant.