THE COLERIDGE SUPPLY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 12 June 1924, Page 8

THE COLERIDGE SUPPLY.

To the Editor of the “Timaru Herald."' Sir. —At a public meeting held recently, much dissatisfaction was ex pressed with the present working of .Lake Coleridge supply, and an immediate investigation of Lake Tekapo was strongly favoured. It was carried by 5 votes to 4, that a deputation be sent to Wellington, to get an assurance from the Government that the Rower Board will be allowed to develop Lake Tekapo, and the expenditure for expenses be limited to £250. i may mention that the company I represent are very much interested in the success of a good electrical supply, and 1. placed my views before tne public some time back in a letter to the “Timaru Herald,” in which I favoured Tekapo power, as a splendid stand-by, if the Lake Coleridge power, which is already here, was not satisfactory. I may be allowed to place before you the position we have taken up with regard to our electric power. Last month I wrote the following .letter, which was not published, owing to the Geraldine Rower Board election coming off that day. “To the Editor, ‘Timaru Herald.’ Sir, —I observe there are several letters in this morning’s issue of your paper, for and against the Lake Tekapo scheme. AVe all know that the required electric power m quantity could be obtained from that source much cheaper than from Lake Coleridge, if both schemes were only just commencing, and wore open to choose from, but this is not so, as we have a fair sized supply already from Lake Coleridge, with a promise of all we may require for the next few years; whilst the Tekapo scheme will involve well into half a millions pounds expenditure, and would take five years time, before tho power would bo properly established in Timaru. Again, "who is to guarantee interest on a new loan for the Tekapo scheme? The people of Timaru are already heavily handicapped with the present municipal rates, and this is not a time to start new liabilities. No one can be more favourable to the Tekapo scheme than 1 am, hut wc must wait until our population increases before we can accept such a large liability (see my letter in your paper, dated November 28th, 1922). 1 am still of tho same opinion, and cannot understand why Geraldine people are so anxious to run inlo a big debt.—l remain, etc., W. Evans.” Since that time my Company has had electric power installed in the Atlas Flour Mill. It unfortunately happened that there were several stoppages in our work through electric power breakdowns about the time wo were starting, and fearing these stoppages might be expected to continue, J wrote the following letter, dated May 29th, to his Worship the Mayor, of Timaru. — Dear Sir. —I have been induced to advise my Co-Directors to go in for electric power, for working our mill machinery at the Atlas Flour Mills, and was given to understand by your electrical engineer, that tho electric drive would be more steady and economical than the steam power then in use, .so. taking this advice for granted, we have just lately completed a contract to run our machinery on electric power lines. We have gone to considerable expense to install ibis electric power, and now find it cannot he relied upon. We have only been using the power for a tew days, and find it. is continually breaking down. If this state of things continues, we must return to .steam power again. Can your Board give my company any guarantee that the supply of your electric power will be fairly continuous, and oblige, etc., "Win. Evans.” The Mayor gave me a sympathetic reply, and lie and 1 agreed to see the Premier at the Timaru railway station on his way from Dunedin to Christchurch. The Mayor was otherwise engaged that afternoon, but 1 met Mr Massey, and placed the unsatisfactory position before him. He assured me lie quite understood the, position, mid agreed that Lake Coleridge power

.must be enlarged and much improved without unnecessary delay. I also, when in Christchurch, called upon Mr Mac Gibbon, the head electrical engineer; he was very sympathetic, aim assured me he and his staff were doing their best to improve the Lake Coleride power, and also were renewing all the insulators, using only suspension insulators, and removing the arcing plates along the line at great expense, also disconnecting earth strips. Ho had only the day before returned from Wellington and hoped to persuade the powers that be to constiuct a second line to Timaru. I observe that at tho late public meeting referred to, Messrs C. E. lveii and J. R. Bruce were extremely anxious to have the Lake lekapo power brought into Timaru, quite ignoring the fact that Timaru nas already a fair supply of electric power, but yet not quite enough to supply all demands. The Borough Council has already made the town responsible lor a large amount of money tor the present Lake Coleridge supply, not meniioniim the large amount that was paid to the former contractor, who first installed the electric power here, (which contract proved most expensive and unsatisfactory to the ratepavers.) Mr Kerr states that Lane Coleridge had been a dismal tailuie. Mr Bruce is reported to have said that through our Company installing an electric plant, using Lake Coleridge power. I (NY. Evans) am m the soup, as Coleridge is absolutely unreliable. He seems very emphatic about title matter. I can only say that l am of quite a different opinion, and feel sure that now the position is known by the Public Works Department, tile Premier, and the liinuru Borough Council and Power Board, the few weaknesses that have bee* l complained of in the Lake Colei ldge evipplv, will soon bo rectified. In tact a great change for the better has already taken place. Our mill has only had one stop for about 10 minutes for several days past. When a double line is established, as is proposed, 1 feel sure our electric power troubles will bo a thing of‘ the past, and my Company and myself, have every confidence in knowing that all P eo P lo concerned, viz., the PMibc Woiks Dpartment. tho Power Board and the Borough Council, are honestly anxious to rectify, as soon as possible, alt present difficulties with the Lake Coleridge supply. I etc., rANg Timaru, June 11, 1921.