HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 2 July 1924, Page 6

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

To the Editor of Uio “Timaru Herald.' Sir, I see by reports in the “Tiniaru Herald,” and “Press” that j the people iu .south Lanlerljiiry, or i least some of them, are under the im- j pression that the people in authority j in Christchurch are opposed, in their interests, to South Canterbury adopt- I ing the proposed Lake Tekapo hydro- J fleetl'icity scheme. I As a former resident in Tiniaru for many years, although! for the past ten years in ClirisLehureh, 1 shall lie pleased if you grant me space, in our .journal. In assure the South Canterbury residents that not only are the North Canterbury residents not opposed to the Lake Tekapo scheme, but would gladly welcome its inauguration.

as ilie present available power from Lake Coleridge,; since being linked up I with Timaru is not sufficient for both , districts. At the present time the peak load at , the Lake Coleridge power station is, on'’the avers.go, nao-i k.w. above normal generating power, 1 and fresh requests are being made almost daily in North Canterbury for further supplies for lighting and cook- , ing, in addition to- large orders for 1 various new factories. It is obvious tlint if Smith Cii o+m-hurv ■ were di’inn- ■ a ted all the available Lake Coleridge power would be utilised in North Canterbury, and yet be . insu licieut tor local requirements. When Lake Cole-" ’ ridge power was inaugurated, neither ! the New Zealand Government, nor any local authority foresaw the increasing, 1 demands that would be made on it, ' for both lighting and manufacturing; ! and as it promised to be a far cheaper i power than that produced by steam. | Mr James Craigie, M.P. for Timaru, : with his usual watchfulness, obtained a promise from the Government that Timaru would share in the benefits of ! this cheap electricity, and by his per- ■ sistence had that promise fulfilled after | many years. I It is easy to be wise after the event ] but if the New Zealand Government and the people in South Canterbury had foreseen the groat demand for , I hydro-electricity throughout New Zealand, I have no doubt that the peoplo I in South Canterbury would to-day bo 1 receiving their artificial light and electric power from Lake Tekapo, which j believe, is a more powerful source than that available from “Lake Coleridge.” The present generating powei at Lake .Coleridge is using so mucn water that the ' lake is prevented from rising above its prpsent level, from widen it may become doubtful if sufficient water can be obtained for the proposed increase by another tunnel and generating station to doublo the present supply. Even if this proposed supply becomes available it will all be required in North Canterbury. An urgent demand presently _ exists foi electricity for electric ■ trains between Gnristciiureh and Lyttelton, and if ouz railways are to successfully competo against motor traffic on roads when the main highways newly made roads come into existence, they w.d in ail probauuity bo run by electricity. Manufacturing in Christchurch has increased immensely since electric? p.,..0r nus conic, mto use, m.d uin nutlier increase if more of this cheap power is available, and the same success is awaiting Timaru if Luke Tekapo is utilised for that purpose. It the various county councils and boroughs in South Canterbury were to join with the borough of Timaru, in using Lake Tekapo. 1 cannot see any risk of failure in its use, nor can I see why Timaru, by this moans, could fail to become a very successful manufacturing town, and the country throughout become equally benefited. As the lighting power from Lake Tekapo increased, the Power Board might, in time, be able to supply the sister town, Oamnru, with cheap electric light and power for their factories. —« I am, etc., J. J. WEATHERED, Merivale, Christchurch, 26th Juno, 1924.