The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1924. THE TIME FOR UNITY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 18 June 1924, Page 8

The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1924. THE TIME FOR UNITY.

'I In- f-iiKiiicr I lie people ut. South (,'aii Id bury iiml .Nori ii Ul:i»n pul Uleli' ue.iiir-, lop'd lid ;m<l uevelup ’1 eimpii iih ii coniro o). hyill'o- • Teel lle didgy I lie, lie) lei lor nil eoneenieil, Udwio mu bdgTi-boiin-i in I lie ■■.<) itiii euinmtlle 1 ! IhuuiMelvc-j to Jiiiill- I'lim piiijio-sals lor rel ienlai mu. Hie M. mi,-dor of i 1 1 11 1 1 11 Work'", pave mi umld'lukiny ilial, I lie a rvey ot, the I'oute. lor tin- 1 1 ;i ti mid i sh i(jn line coinieel ieg Waipoii uilh Oauiaru would lie repiuded as urg'dit business. Just, a few days previously, the people ot South Canterbury were' assured that, the duplication of the transmission line between Colei idgo and Timaru would be undertaken when the load increased. Presumably both promises were drawn from an unwilling Minister for electioneering purposes in connection ' with loan polls. Months have slipped away and nothing has been done; indeed the people of North Otago are beginning to realise that all hope of obtaining early and ample supply from Waipori must be abandoned, and their eyes are now turning to the north in the hope of finding relief from their present hydro-electric perplexities. The other day “The North Otago Times” made this significant announcement:

It now appears that North Otago may have to depend npon Lake Coleridge, instead of Waipori for its electric power. If this should be so, it will be depending upon a broken reed. Lake Coleridge is already drawn upon to a greater extent than is warranted by its capacity. The people of Timaru are so disgusted with the power derivable from this source that they are determined to explore the possibilities of Lake Tekapo. The Waitaki Power Board is at the dead end, and can hope for little from Lake Coleridge. The Minister of Public Works has eivon an undertaking Unit nower will be provided from Wainori, and grave disappointment will be felt if tho Ministerial promise is not fulfilled. In the meantime the Power Board will experience some difficulty in providing the current that is essential for local trade and industry. Perhaps it would be wise, in tlie '•■iroumstaiiees. to collaborate with the South Canterbury Board, and ascertain upon what terms a snimlv cneld be obtained from Lake Teh" l no. Thy outlook, so far as North Otago •<= concerned, cannot be said to bo encouraging at the moment. It h-m yet to ~be demonstrated that, ndenuato ndwe 1 ’ can be obtained from either Wninori or Coleraine.

We urge the people of North Otago to have nothing to do with supply from Lake Coleridge. The experiences of Timaru should cause our neighbours to hesitate before they become entangled in the Public Works net, _ That the supply from Lake Coleridge is unsatisfactory is admitted even bt the strongest advocates of joining up with that generating station. We warn the people' of North Otago to watch tiieir steps. We do not offer our opinion as proof of our contention. The “Christchurch Sun,” commenting on tho resolutions passed at the indignation meeting held in Timaru last week, said: The people of Timaru are discovering what electricity consumers .n Christchurch have known lor some time past, that Lake Coleridge is. shoddy job, growing in unreliability and disfavour. The transmission lmo

in particular is a discreditable piece of work, from which wo may expect a succession of interruptions in bad weather, due to faults of design and equipment. Timaru is, therefore, wise in its demand for a new powei

supply from Tekapo. But what steps is the department going to take tc repair the “cheap and nasty” outfit on which the industrial life anti activity of Christchurch now depends? Those consumers who cannot afford interruptions to their work are being put to heavy expense to provide stand-bv generating plants, and the cost of these in various factories runs into many thousands of pounds. It seems to us that the city must sooner or later face the establishment of a, powerful anxihatv plant, and that it. would be wise. to investigate the cost of producing electricity from steam-driven geneiators without further delay. Do our neighbours want a dose of this distasteful medicine? Months a*ro we suggested that South Canterbury and North Otago should co-operate in the development of Tekapo. At that time the southern district felt confident. ot being' able to link up with Waipori without very much delay. Since then, they have liad their eyes opened. They must look elsewhere for adequate reliable supplies of cheap' hydroelectric energy. Having regard to all the circumstances, and the inevitable overloading ox both Coleridge and Waipori, we urge the people of South Can ter bum and North Otago to cease leaning upon the Public Works Depanment. Let the districts 00-opeiate and develop Tekapo as an ideal \ situated, highly potenlml source of cheap hydro-electnc energy. The time has come lor these smaller districts to unite m asserting their rights and demanding the unconditional consent of the Department o the eminently sound proposals the combined district could place before their insra-Hivo people.