WATER POWER RESOURCES.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12750, 23 March 1910, Page 4

WATER POWER RESOURCES.

[United Pbess Association.] Wellington, March 22. •: The Prime Minister announced tonight that the Government had decided to control and develop tho water power resources throughout New Zealand, and for that purpose, to ask Parliament's authority to expend up to £500,000 annually. "This is to enable water power to be used for public as well as private purposes in different parts of the country," stated Sir Joseph Ward. "The present method of leasing water power does not appear to have worked at all satisfactorily and considerable difficulties have ing been experienced in assenting to the requests of applicants'" for power. It is also evident tjiat under the leasing system a very much heavier charge would be made to users of the power by private undertakings than would be imposed by the State. In one instance what the country would get if it leased its water power would itin in to £1 a thousand horse-power per annum, while those who .are endeavouring to obtain the Option proposed to charge as high as £10 to private users, so that matter has ifeeh very troublesome. After carefully considering it, the Government ' decided, to control the power itself, j and to expend annually up to the sum mentioned upon its development, thus enabling users to obtain power at a rate very much less than it could be obtained from private undertak- i ings. The Government has decided < to extend the electrical generation i plant at the Okere Falls, and that i at Rotorua ia to be duplicated." i