POWER SUPPLY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1921, Page 5

POWER SUPPLY.

THE SURVEY QUESTION. THE LOAN PROPOSAL. RECOMMENDED BY COUNCIL. A recommendation to New Plymouth ratepayers to vote for the £9OOO loan, tomorrow for a survey to ascertain further sources of hydro-electric power was made by the New Plymouth Borough Council last night. In view of the fact that the council had before it the important report of Mr. Kissell (Public Works engineer) recommending a survey, it was generally expected that the council would take some bold action and deal with the matter in such a way as to remove any doubt of x the necessity to vote for the loan. But when the report was reached on the order paper the Mayor appeared disinclined to deal with it, and suggested that consideration should be deferred pending the result of the poll. There was a note of evident surprise in Or. V. Griffiths’ voice when he rose and asked if it were not the duty of the council to give the ratepayers a lead, and, in view of Mr. Kissell’s emphatic opinion, tell the ratepayers to vote for the loan and so authorise a survey. The Mayor, however, avoided debate, except to bluntly intimate that the ratealready knew his opinion, and that he was still opposed to a survey. But Cr. Griffiths carried his point, and, supported by Cr. Blackball, secured the council’s approval of a recommendation to the ratepayers to vote for the loan. When the report was before the council the Mayor suggested that it should be held over fill, after the loan poll, when it would be known whether the ratepayers favored the proposal or not. Cr. V. Griffiths suggested that the council should give a lead to the ratepayers as to how they should vote for the loan. COUNCIL NOT UNITED: The Mayor: The council is disunited, so how can we give a lead? Cr. Griffiths pointed out that the council bad had no opportunity to discuss the question since the report of Mr. Kissel 1 had come to hand, and in view of the fact that the council was now in possession of new information he thought some expression of opinion should be made. The council had fully discussed the matter previously, but there was a difference of opinion on the question of enlarging the tunnel. Now Mr. Kissell had reported, and he was emphatic that it was advisable to enlarge the tunnel. Cr. Griffiths pointed out that it was customary to advise ratepayers on loan proposals, and ne thought that custom should be carried out in this case.

. The Mayor: How can we advise the ratepayers when we are in opposite camps? You advise them one way and I will advise them the other way.

Cr. Griffiths then moved that in view of the fact that Mr. Kissell’s report was favorable, the ratepayers should be urged to vote in favor of the £9006 loan poll. Cr. T. N. Blackhall seconded. He declared that the ratepayers did not understand the position, but they would vote for it if they were given a lead. It therefore behoved the council to practically ask the ratepayers to vote for the loan. THE MOTION CARRIED. Cr. J. Brown said nothing in Mr. Kissell's repqrt had altered his opinion, and he still opposed the proposal. He never disputed that a certain amount of water was to be obtained, but he was satisfied the cost would be so great that the work could never be undertaken. Cr. Brown said, he was opposed to the proposal that the Kiri stream should be brought in. That was going to provide the future water supply of New Plymouth—it was the best • water ; n the district, and should never be used lor anything else. Without further'discussion the motion was put and carried on the voices, the only councillor voting against it being Cr. Brown. “I want my namd recorded as opposed to the motion,” said Cr. Brown, but the Mayor remarked that it was only the decision of a committee and that a record of the voting was not necessary. THE ENGLISH OFFER.

Mr. Percy Leggatt (representing Thomas Summerson and Sons), wrote under date September 13 acknowledging various papers in reference to the hy-dro-electric extension's. He stated: “A cursory perusal of the papers, however, inclines me to believe that you will be well advised to include a fourth pipeline in your extensions and should provide for additional water storage. I am still prepared to finance the extensions in the hope that at least 3000 kilowatts will be earmarked for furnaces at the breakwater.” —The letter was received.

THE £9OOO LOAN PROPOSAL. DISCUSSION BY EMPLOYERS. PUBLIC MEETING WANTED. The chairman of the Employers’ Association (Mr. P. E. Stainton), at the meeting last evening, referred to the question of the municipal loan proposals to be voted upon on Wednesday, and invited those present to express their opinions on the subject. Mr. C. Carter stated that the whole of the proposals were of vital importance to the borough, and he could not understand why the Borough Council had not called a public meeting to discuss the proposals, especially in view of the fact that on previous occasions when matters of like importance were before the ratepayers meetings had invariably been called. They would remember that a public meeting, called by the Ratepayers’ Association some time ago, passed certain resolutions, practically unanimously, which the council declined to accept, but had preferred to put a loan proposal before the ratepayers to carry out the work for which a survey and estimates were alone asked for. The council had thereby placed themselves in a very peculiar position. Whilst deciding to go to the ratepayers for sanction for the raising of a loan for £9OOO to carry out the work the council had anticipated the poll by asking the Government to send a hydroelectric expert to report upon the possibilities of securing additional power. This expert had reported favorably upon the project, both as regards the advisability of making the survey and enlarging the tunnel. What would be the position if the ratepayers turned down the loan proposal on Wednesday? The expert’s report would then be rendered nugatory and the council would be stultified.

Mr. Carter went on to say that the £9OOO for which authority was asked would appear to be an excessive amount for the purpose, inasmuch as it was understood the survey would cost £4OO, the enlarging of the tunnel, £2450, and the enlarging of the forebay, providing for additional valves, K «tc,, £3OOO, making a total of £5850. What

fwas the other £3OOO required for? It was tyery necessary to ascertain the extent of the latent water powers of the Waiwakaiho and neighboring streams. Even apart from the council’s negotiations with Summerson and Sons in connection with the establishment of the ironsand industry in New Plymouth, whatever power could be developed wouid do more to bring industries to the town than anything else. Cheap power was everything in manufacture. The town obviously required industries, and cheap power and a good harbor would certainly attract them. In view of these facts he strongly urged all who had the interest of the town at heart to support the loan proposals.

Mr. C. H. Wynyard said the only objection to the necessity of the £142,000 loan was the fact that it was a legacy handed down from faulty financing in the past. There could be no doubt about the other loans, and he strongly urged that ratepayers give them their whole-hearted support.

Mr. W. Ambury said every ratepayer should support all three loans. In regard to the £9OOO loan for the survey and extension of the supplies of the hydro-electric power, he said the question of the future of the ironsand industry played an important part. If New Plymouth did not make the best of every opportunity the industry would be developed elsewhere near at hand. He mentioned the case of the woollen milk proposals in Wanganui, where the capital had been secured, but the cost of supplying power to work the mills was a great handicap to their establishment. There was a great future for industry in New Plymouth if cheap hydro-electric power were available. Mr. Stainton said he thought the £9OOO loan proposal was not clearly understood. In the first place it was proposed to spend up to £4OO on a survey of the possibilities of securing additional power. If it were found that no further power were available it would not be necessary to raise the remainder of the loan, and incidentally the uncertainty of the position would be settled for all time. He thought the Borough Council might have made the proposals a little more clear to the ratepayers. The opinion was general that a public meeting should have been held to consider the proposals.

Late last night the Borough Council decided to call a meeting to-night. The matter was introduced by a telephone message from Mr. C. Carter (chairman of the Ratepayers’ Association), asking if a meeting was to be held. The Mayor opposed the idea, but the general desire of the council overcame his opposition.