Untitled

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19941, 27 October 1934, Page 9

Experience in America and Norway has shown that a paper-making industry on a large scale requires plenty of cheap electric power—an average of about 100 horse-power per day for one ton of paper. Well, New Zealand has wonderful facilities for the necessary power, and can grow suitable trees very quickly. Several species of the indigenous trees have been tested satisfactorily for the making of goodqulity paper, but the best promise of adequate supplies of raw material lies in the raising of forests of exotics which make amazingly rapid growth in many parts of the Dominion.

For an efficient administration of this national system of distribution of current, each Island is divided into Power Board areas, based on centres of population. These boards are elected by ratepayers and they carry out all the reticulating work and sale of power. Each board has rating powers and functions as defined by the Power Boards Act, and is subject to regulations issued by the Government. As the boards are solely constituted for the distribution and sale of power which they usually buy in bulk from the Government stations, but may generate themselves, they cannot divert to other local purposes any profit derived from the power business. The surplus above all working costs may be used for a reduction of the charges to consumers or for extensions of the system into less profitable districts. This system of local Power Boards, linked up with a national system of supply of electrical current, is probably unique in the world. Fortunately the population of the Dominion happens to be distributed, in relation to the big sources of power, in a manner to permit a complete reticulation of practically the whole country.