THE ARAPUNI TROUBLE

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1930, Page 9

THE ARAPUNI TROUBLE

ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT. ' 7' ■ ' ' ' CRITICISM BY MR. J. G. COATES., By Telegraph.—Press. Association. .Auckland, Last Night. The Leader of the Opposition, the Rt, • Hon. J. G. Coates, in ’a speech at Whungarci to-night said he was curious at the apathy of the public concerning tlie peculiar attitude of the Government to the Arapuni project. • The Government’s action, or inaction, 'surely call,c<l for/some' very clear declaration on' its part.He said the delay might, ba ; the result of political prejudice, for all must remeriiber that certain members of Parliament, and others, too, used • the . occurrence as a political weapon, and their castigations .were ilcvelled against the■ previous administration and him-, se’" in particular.. Since June there had been a niiriute inquiry into all .phases of--the possible caused,? feth’-geblogieal arid? engineering. Hornell’s opinion ... was’ sufficient. ;tp-. confound not! < only the political-critics but,also soma . of t.ho engineering, verities, and further it., clearly. .showed the,. economic aflva.n£. J tages of tho • scheme. ' - < / ; Mr. Coates said he','believed., if, 1 thei . Public Work's ’engineers' Lad ,-been -in-.:; structed to proceed with the repairs spon. : after the stoppage Arapuni would long ■ ago have; .been sending' out thousands ;of kilowatts of. energy at fess cost to-the users than the present charges, arid’ ul,- 1 ' timatcly at. a cost inconi parable with’' any other source of supply. “But apart: from niy views, ■ surely, the political inaction apparently pursued calls for. a/frank statement by the Goycrnmciit,’* said*■ Mh h Cdafcs.- *tWhy the necessity fc.\ the model .of suggested remedial measures? -fs-tlns-model fii»w b.ciug prepared in. order - that ;- Minis tors.' .of„ the ■ Crown may clearly grasp the proposals for tb.q ' repair work ? ; I am sure tjie Minister y'.VubHß',; Works would hints? A 1 fewj..pfe^WMhis T of quansufficient. for,' him to ’ decide’,'••a'wj'ShSPcpijid ask fot more information -ifMi»ydpetiied. Professor Hornell’s or the. department’s proposals unsatisfactory.’ . f : i The Arapuni .stoppage’has- necessitated! the provision of a large ainount of capital by the Auckland "Electric Power Board to,meet immediate requirements. In; addition there'is the Government’s / proposals to instaL.a?steam plant at . Huntly.All ...capital expenditure bo'carried by tho jiydrq;/1 electric undertaking ‘atjiVapunf. Mr. Coates ;said he regretted, that "the iGbverhriieiit/did . not' set up the Royal Commission that he had asked for to, go. into'all matters connected with-Ara-; puni since the scheme -was first suggested.'-' That course lie- had earnestly. wished foxy and / had .it been, followed/. Arapuni, he believed, would be now providing the industries of the Auckland province with energy. “No one can say ; .that there has not been tiresome delay, arid it .is high, time, that the question was settled,” Mr. ' Coates added. . The Government must be frank and I am sure the public would be interested to learn the views of the department.