POWER BOARD’S PROBLEM

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1932, Page 10

POWER BOARD’S PROBLEM

TARIKI SYSTEM SUPPLY

need for additional current,

■BULK PURCHASE OR NEW STREAM

"It is very disheartening to have to •report that the station had to be closed down at nights to conserve the water,” remarked Mr. H. J. Mar'chant at the meeting of the Taranaki Power Board on Friday. ‘This is a ■problem that the new board will have 'to face. There are many hot water installations in certain parts of the •district and they were- seriously inconvenienced by the stoppage. This failure has created the suspicion that the scheme is not capable of doing ■what it was asked to do.” Mr. Moss said he did not want to re'open an old controversy, but he wished once more to refer to the water supply question as this was the last meeting before the election of the new board. Before the previous election 'he held that the water supply was insufficient, but the chairman was not ■prepared to admit it. Since then the 'height of the dam had 'been increased 'by"two feet, and even with the extra 'amount of water it was impossible to carry the load. He had honestly believed that with the extra two feet on the dam and the cessation of the supply to New Plymouth they would have been able to supply their own district for a year or two. That was the only way he could see by which they Could have got out of their financial difficulties. Now, however, they were faced with the problem of obtaining extra power and he could not see how they were going to overcome their financial difficulties if they had to buy ‘more, power. He did not think it possible for the scheme to pay for several 'years to come. MR. MOSS PESSIMISTIC. He refused to accept any responsibility as the trouble occurred, before he 'became a member of the board. Since then he had done all possible to assist in improving the position, and all possible economies had been made in expenditure. The original expenditure was sanctioned by the ratepayers, and the only consolation was that perhaps some of the Government’s own expenditures were just as bad. The works now belonged to’ the ratepayers, and the scheme was a white elephant that had to be paid for. If any member of the community wanted to take office to help manage affairs he was quite prepared to hand over his seat to him.' He had always done his best to help and had not been a mere carping critic. He hoped that his suggestions had been helpful; some, in fact, had been accepted. C ‘l do want to say that I believe it is beyond the power of any human being to make this board pay except 'over a long period of years,” proceeded the speaker. “Owing to the existing economic conditions I think there will 'be a demand for lower charges, and this will mean lower revenue. I know, •Mr. Chairman, that you do not agree 'with my pessimistic views. For five years you have been saying that it •will come all right. I hope that you •will be right as it gives me no satisfaction to say what I am saying, but •I should like to take the opportunity of giving a resume of my impressions as a result of the past three years.” MR. KNUCKEY MORE HOPEFUL.’ Mr. Knuckey said he was pleased to say he had not quite so bad an opinion as Mr. Moss. The shortage certainly proved that the amount of water was not as great as they thought. He also admitted that power was too dear, and if re-elected he intended to try to obtain a reduction in milking inotor rates. If they could get extra consumers at lesser rates they would give as much revenue as less consumers at higher charges. If they could 'get the extra streams turned in no doubt there would be more power than Would be required. They certainly had the machinery to use the extra water. 'lf they could link up with the Government scheme at a reasonable cost he would favour this course, but the extra cost for the short period they

Would require power supply would be ridiculous. Although the board was in 8, bad position he did not look upon it as being as bad as Mr. Moss did.

■ Mr. Marchant inquired the reason •for the Stratford Borough Council’s 'claiming a rebate for the period, the power was off. Mr. Moss stated that the contract with Stratford provided that a, rebate would be allowed on the maximum demand charge for any period that the supply was cut off. ' Referring again to the shortage of Water Mr. Moss said that on a previous occasion when he had forecast a shortage of water Mr. Knuckey had said that he was libelling the engineer. Mr. Knuckey: I have as long a memory as Mr. Moss and I don’t remember ever saying that Mr. Moss was libelling the engineer. Mr. Moss: I will give £5 to the hospital if I cannot produce files of the Taranaki Daily News showing that Mr. Knuckey said I was libelling the engineer. Mr. Goldsmith: The consulting engineer, not the resident engineer? The chairman said that there had ‘been an unusual spell of five weeks of dry weather, and it had been a surprise to board members to find that there had been such a shortage of water. There had been only five such periods over the past 27 years, but they could not say that there would not be another next year. Mr. McGuinness said that he had never known the wells to be so dry during the past 30 years. COST OF GOVERNMENT POWER, Regarding the provision of additional power the chairman stated that while tin Wellington recently he had discussed the matter with Mr. Kissell, the chief electrical engineer of the Public Works Department. Two different contracts had been suggested, but these Would first have, to bo investigated by Mr. Goldsmith. The deputation also approached the Minister of Public Works regarding additional water supply, and at present was awaiting a reply as to whether the board could obtain the necessary license. Mr. Kissell's assistant engineer would visit Taranaki next week to go into this question. They certainly could get a contract for Government power at a price. Mr. Moss: But that price would be beyond the financial capacity of the board.

Mr. Dobson, asked that the engineer’s report concerning the amount of additional water available be made known to the public. The chairman replied that the streams were measured at their very lowest on April 1, the day before the deputation left for Wellington. The result showed that there was more than double the present water supply, and that would be sufficient to run ■both machines. DIVERSION OF STREAMS The engineer reported that when measurements were taken on. the previous day the flow in the Manganui and Waipuku combined (present supply) was 34 cusecs, as against 44.5 cusecs when the streams were previously measured in March, 1230. Details were:—Manganui and Waipuku (present supply), 1930, 44.5 cusecs; 1932, 34 cusecs. Mangamawhete and Waipukuiti (Ross Road), 19.01 cusecs; 11.9 cusecs. Waitepuke (near Rugby Road), 9.00 cusecs; 5.9 cusecs. Maketawa ■(near Bedford Road), 36.33 cusecs; 30.39 cusecs. The totals were 108.84 cusecs in 1930, and 82.19 cusecs in 1932.

The relation between the total amount of water which would be available when the diversion scheme had been completed, and the amount available from the Manganui and Waipuku at present, was interesting. As measured in 1930, the total amount was 244 per cent, of the flow in the present schemes, and as measured the previous day the flow was 241 per cent, of the flow in the present schemes." In other words, the present supply would be increased nearly 2J times.