WE WANT TEKAPO.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 13 June 1924, Page 7

WE WANT TEKAPO.

l—

Unreliable Coleridge.

LAST NIGHT’S PUBLIC MEETING

“We want Tekapo” was the keynote of the public meeting which was held in the Lyceum Theatre last night for the purpose of protesting against the inadequacy of the Lake Coleildge electric supply, and suggesting a more reliable source of power. there was a large attendance, and the meeting was an enthusiastic one. There were present oil the platform Rev. t. w. Lotts, Messrs T. Thomson, L. it .McRae, W. Gibb, Herbert Hall, R. Ijedderspoon, W. 0. Long, R. A. M. Paterson, AI.K.C.Y.S., C. M. Wood and C. E. Kerr. Apologies for absence and messages conveying sympathy and support were receiv ed from Mr F. R. Flat-man,_ Geraldine, Mr W. E. Evans, Mayor of \\ ai mate, Mr F. C. May, president of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. Mr J. Moffatt, Cave, and Mr W. Angland. . , Mr C. E. Iverr, who presided, explained the object of the meeting and said that Coleridge supply of electric power had become so unreliable that they could not put up with he fiesent state of affairs much 'ongcr. it Timaru was to progress, it oust have cheap, and reliable power, and if was not to progress, it need only continue to depend upon the broken reed which it had in Lake Coleridge, as a source of supply. (Hear, hear.) As there were a good many spec Iters he would not say more then, Lirther than to say that he was an ardent . ever in the Tekapo power scheme. (Applause). MESSAGE FROM MR BURNETT. Mr T. D. Burnett, ALP., for T e * tnuka, who is in hospital at Dunedin, sent the following telegram: it is well known that I have always maintained that Timaru and South canterbury need not bother about a power scheme, until it has a scheme of. its own and a double transmission line. Until that day comes, the present erratic supply is only frightening probables power users. For instance, it Tekapo were developed my peofi l ® would straightway erect woollen nulls at Cave, but would never consider it a moment under present suppb'-Theie is but one thing for South Canteibuiy to do: develop Tekapo m thiee progressive stages of five, ten, and twenty thousand horse power. . , Mr Burnett’s message was received with applause.

MR HALL. Mr Herbert Hall, who was the next speaker, said that his ideas to-day wcio the sane as they were two.and a-hali vears acm, and he was convinced that the 1 only solution of the electric pm c supplv problem was a power station at Lake Tekapo. The problem ot a nower supply had not been solved bj the Power Board, and moreover they never would succeed so long as tnej sought the solution outside of the prablein itself. The best, most reliable, and cheapest water-power schemes wmc in South Canterbury. When ,ne orminal survey of water power resources was made for the Governmen among all the schemes in New Zealand bv Coleridge and Tekapo, but_ lehapJ was his particular idea. Ju.st a Christchurch depended upon Lake Coleridge for industrial prosperity, so Jl- - must depend upon Eako lekaiWAs a native of Christchurch, he could remember the nature of the public dis cussions at that time—-all lands ol men proved absolutely that. a 1 hydro plant was not warranted m Christchurch. They had a parallel situation in South Canterbury to-day. .It seemed to him that the development ot a great asset of,water power was proceeding too slow in New Zealand m comparison with Canada and Tasmania. It also appeared to him that the official policy of large, power stations ana long transmission lines had not been proved by actual experience to suit the economic needs of the country. Bu to find a power development of small size in South Canterbury was not easy. Lake Tekapo had been reported upon by Mr Hay for a 500,000 h.p. scheme, and Mr Parrv had also considered it. Mr Hay’s scheme was to cost three millions, and Mr Parry’s half a million on the pre-war scale of prices. But m addition to these big costs there was the transmission line difficulty through snow country. The latter trouble was considered to be insurmountable. . t was a most peculiar thing that one never heard of it now-a-days, it was only a bogey. The snow transmission line difficulty was not electrical, but political and personal. No practical result from the investigations could have been obtained except for the fresh light thrown by Mr J O Boving, of London, who visited the Lake at Mr T. D. Burnett’s invitation. Nothing had been suggested up to that time of a canal instead ot a tunnel; in less than two hours Mr Boving had shown them a new idea and how to cut the cost from half to a quarter million pounds. It was the turning point of the scheme. Half a million was beyond South Canterbury, but a quarter of a million made it one of the cheapest schemes in New Zealand. Ho had seen Mr Boving in London and found him still enthusiastic about Lake Tekapo as the best scheme in the Dominion. During this time Tekapo had become known all over the Dominion, and had been discussed in Parliament, and Mr Janies Wilson had provided ample funds for surveys, which were invaluable. Tho next big obstacle was the attitude of the Government. They were told cm all sides that no consent would ever bo given to a scheme in Canterbury, which might rival Coleridge. Mr Burnett, however, by fine political strategy, obtained the Prime Minister’s consent. This was all the more remarkable in view of the fact that the whole political weight of North Canterbury failed to obtain for the Wai makariri scheme, the concession which Mr Burnett obtained for Tekapo. That concession stood to this day. Passing on to the consumption ot electricity, Mr Hall said that tho only factor which governed this was the price. If the price were high the scheme would be a failure. Mr Evan Parry, the author of the New Zealand State schemes, estimated the South Canterbury electrical demands at 5000 h.p.. When in Canada two years ago. Mr Hall said, he had spoken to engineers about the difficulty of finding sufficient demand for electricity, and they wondered what, he was talking about. When ho explained New Zealand ideas, they told him we knew nothing about electrical consumption in New Zealand. They said Canada had been through that doubting stage twelve years ago. In the province ol Ontario, which had only 50 per cent, more population than New Zealand, the electrical consumption was 500,000 h.p. against 40,000 here. His idea was that South Canterbury ought to becomo tho California of New Zealand. The early advocates of Tekapo accomplished a good deal by hard work and conviction. There were many critics and count le-s obstacles, but the difficulties ahead were not so great as those that had been overcome, and he believed they were now very much nearer final .success Ilian most pensile imagined. (Applause).

HOSPITAL HOARD CHAIRMAN. The Rev. T. \V. Potts (Vh-iirman of the South Canteroury Hospital Board)

expressed regret that- parochialism had not been eliminated in South Canterbury, and said he believed in community interest and would like to see a united and a determined South Canterbury, get exactly what it wanted—as he was convinced it- could do. His opinion had been, and still was, that if they had gone unitedly for the Tekapo scheme long ago, they would by now, have in sight something veiy definite, instead of something very nebulous. Light and heat and power were three prime essentials at their public hospital, and it was absolutely necessary, that there should be reliable power and light there. Timaru Hospital could use up to 60 h.p., if it could bo sure of a reliable supply. If it were cheap enough, the current would be used for cooking, as well as for light and power. Mr Lotts stressed the point that very grave results might accrue to a patient, if the electric light failed at a critical moment, when a patient was being dealt with. To him, as chairman of the Board, this was a very serious aspect- of the matter. Mr Lotts suggested a conference of representatives of all parts of South Canterbury with a view to securing a reliable electric scheme for the district. If the Power Board intended to develop Tekapo ,it should be given all the backing that they could possibly give it, remembering the wonderful asset, which they had in that great body of water. (Applause). MR A. M. PATERSON.

Mr A. M. Paterson suggested the appointment of a permanent research committee' to inquire into, and report on all tilings vital to the interest of the community. Agriculture was a subject vital to them all. Year after year the body of the soil was being sent out of the country in the products of tho land, and very little was being done in regard to replacing what was being taken away. Lime was to be found in abundance in most parts of the country and the establishment of lime kilns was an urgent necessity. For this alone a big demand upon electric power would be made. American was producing goods for them, that, yvith the aid of electricity, they would be very easily able to produce for themselves. The Germans had alto got the use of electric power down to a fine art, and had splendid methods of reducing the cost of current to each consumer as they used it. New Zealanders should wake up and do their best to help themselves and the farmers in the backblocks to increase production by the use of electricity, and incidentally help themselves. (Applause). One industry which might be started quite close to Timaru, if they had cheap power, was the manufacture of concrete bricks.

MR SHILLITTO. Mr R. Shiilitto referred to the fact that Christchurch had a triple line from Coleridge, while Timaru had only a single line. Again Timaru had to pay a higher price for its power than Christchurch, and was thereby placed at a great disadvantage. The Government had not kept its promise to Timaru, in this respect. He referred to the proposed Waimakarirl scheme, and showed how the threat of initiating this scheme had prevented the Government from raising the price of Coleridge power to Christchurch. While Dunedin and Christchurch had cheap, power, Timaru had : to' pay dearly for its. power, and consequently was at a disadvantage in competing against the two cities named. Timaru should have the Tekapo scheme ‘‘up its sleeve,” and should develop it as soon as possible. They should say to the South Canterbury Power Board: Yo-u have done your best, but you now find that you are depending upon a broken reed, and you should now close up your forces to go forward with the Tekapo scheme, with all possible haste.” Only in this way could Timaru and South Canterbury hope to go forward and keep in the van of progress. (Applause).

AIR W. GIBB. Mr Wm. Gibb (chairman of the South End Ratepayers’ Association) said he felt that they should push bn with greater vigour the work of providing South Canterbury with an adequate power scheme. He regi’etted that the Power Board’s loan had been turned down, as if it had been carried and the town and district had been reticulated, the Power Board would, by this time, have had. not only Timaru, but the whole of South Canterbury kicking against the inadequacy of Coleridge, and they would have been forced to look for some other source of supply. With regard to the demand for power, the speaker said that at Nelson they had expected to get a demand for 800 h.p. in two years, but they had got in seven months. And that was the general experience; where there was a supply a demand followed. Air Gibb made it clear that he was in favour of the development of the Tekapo scheme. He referred also to the expansion oi the Waipori scheme, and said that the Power Board should produce the power and give the people the opportunity of using it. Let all South Canterbury work unitedly for a reliable supply of power. He hoped that united action would be taken as a result of the meeting that night. (Applause).

A BITTER EXPERIENCE. Air E. Porter made it clear that he was a firm believer in the Tekapo scheme, the investigation of which should proceed on proper business lines. They had had a bitter experience of Coleridge, and chaos now reigned. Fortunately the Power Board now recognised that Coleridge was a failure, so far as South Canterbury was concerned, and had at last agreed to have the Tekapo scheme investigated. He was out for progress on business lines. Some years ago they had been told to wait for Coleridge, and they would get an efficient, and also , a sufficient supply. They had waited, and their experience had been a very bitter one. The crisis had now arrived and it would have to be faced in a most vigorous manner. Results could not be obtained _ by merely sitting down and criticising the _ Power Board; but when they read in the papers of the hundreds of pounds spent by the Power Board without any material gain being achieved, they could not help feeling that they should not go on spending money on those lines. The amount decided upon (£200) , for the investigation of Tekapo, was far too small, and he did not think it showed that the Power Board was working on sound lines. Hie estimates of the possible demand were also far too small. When a retailor opened a shop he did not stock it with only sufficient goods for his first day’s business, but stocked it welt in anticipation of increasing business. In his opinion a cheap job was genernllv in the long run an expensive job, and to get an efficient electric supply, meant in the first place, a careful investigation of the source of supplv. One of their fellow citizens OIY .Tames Wilson) had devoted considerable. time and money to investigating Tekapo on his own account, ann for wbnt be had done in this connection, Air Wilson was deserving of the best' thanks of the community. (Applause'). The sneaker also dealt with the. establishment of an electrical supplv near Melbourne, where they had a long-distance transmission line, which ha-1 proved a great success, not withstanding the fact that there they had magnies bv the million, and also kaugni’oos. (Laughter).

WOMAN'S VTF/W. Mrs H. J. Mi rams voiced woman’s view of the subject, stressing the point ti'.rt while elecirie energy was necessa*rv for industrial purposes, it was also virtually necessary for every

home, and would be a boon of incalculable value in reducing the drudgery of housework, and m making home life more pleasant to all concerned, it was desirable that they should be _ given the power much cheaper than in the past. They would then be able. to apply it to the home, and especially tlie country home, where its assistance would be much welcomed. (Applause).

Mr W. O. LONG. Mr W. O. Long said that it the meeting that- nignt resulted in consolidating public opinion on this matter in South Canterbury, they would have done well, and ho believed that re.suit would be achieved. He referred to the serious inconvenience and loss which ail unreliable source of supply occasioned, and said that the apathy of the public, as seen in their different attitude to matters of public concern, was to be deplored. The Power Board had decided to have the Tekapo scheme investigated, but limited the cost to £2OO. This was only playing with the matter. There- should be no such limit, they should get the best expert available to report on the scheme. (Hear, hear.) GENERAL DISCUSSION. Mr W. J. Rodgers said tiiev did not need converting to Tekapo. \vhat they, wanted was some constructive suggestion. The speeches of that night were merely destructive. Air Hall, in reply, said he did not knoiv what the Lower Board intended to do. In his opinion they had lost their way. (Laughter). Hvdro-eleetrio schemes were going ahead in the North Island, where 66,000 h.p. was now projected, as compared with 12,000 to 14,000 in the South Island. And he was convinced that the Government would increase the price to those places which had not already “got in” on a good footing. In reply to MY IV. W. Baxter, the chairman said there would be no duplication in getting another report on lekapo-. Conditons had altered , very, much since Air - J. O. Boving had made Ins report, and machinery had gone down thirty • per cent., and copper wire a hundred per cent. Air W. Schraeder said that the Lower Board-had decided to send a deputation to Wellington to get consent to develop Tekapo. Why. should the Board seek such consent, seeing that it already had it. It seemed to him that the Board had so much money to play with, that it was looking round for means of disposing ot some of it. The Board had appointed a manager at £650 a year; ancl he had nothing to do. : The Board should have waited until it had work for a manager before it appointed one. At this stage, Alz\ P. R, Climie (organiser to the Canterbury Progress League) was. invited to speak, but said he preferred not to do so, as' he had not yet investigated the Tekapo scheme, but later on he hoped to be able to come to South Canterbury, and give them what assistance he could.

Mr Wedderspoon drew attention to the leading article in the “Timaru Herald,” of that day, and said that it summed up the position in regard to electric supply very clearly. ' MOTIONS CARRIED.' V Mr Long proposed, and, Air W. Schraeder seconded : “That this public meeting, being fully! representative, of the citizens of Timaru .and of. the surrounding districts, expresses its deep • dissatisfaction: (1) With tho present supply of power arid light from Coleridge which has failed repeatedly, causing not only inconvenience, but considerable loss to many of the consumers; (2) With the apathetic attitude displayed by the public bodies concerned, and their failure adequately to grasp the situation and remedy the state of affairs complained of; (3) With the, lack of foresight shown by the Power., Board as a whole in not foreseeing the difficulties attendant on the adoption ot the Coleridge .supply scheme. This public meeting of the people of South Canterbury now calls on the Power Board to energetically take up and proceed with the investigation and development of eleetrio power from Lake Tekapo, fully believing that, for the requirements ot South Canterbury, Tekapo is the only solution of the 'difficulty.” The motion was carried with one dissentient., .

Air Wedderspoon proposed: “That a League be/ formed for the purpose of furthering the immediate investigation and development of Lake Tekapo, and that the firsty--step for the formation of such League be left in the bauds of the committee, which arranged that night’s meeting.” This was seconded by-Air W. J. Rodgers, and carried with one dissentient. .

On the motion of Air W. Gibb, it was unanimously agreed : —.‘.‘That this meeting call upon the Government to amend the Power Boards Act, so that when vacancies occur, or conditions call for resignations, the electors should have the right of electing members to fill the vacancies; this-resolu-tion to be forwarded to the Government through the Alembe-rs of Parliament in South Canterbury.”

The motion was carried unanimously, and votes of thanks to .the speakers of that evening terminated the meeting. __