HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15157, 17 February 1922, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

VISIT TO THAMES VALLEY. WANGANUI VISITORS’ IMPRESSIONS. The members of the WanganuiRangitikei Hydro Power Board who last week went on a tour of inspection and seax'ch for knowledge in matters in the Thames Valley have now returned, says the Chronicle. The tour was an instance of the way business men get around itlie country. The visitors went north by Wednesday night's Main Trunk express and were on duty, ready for the tom*, at To Aroha at 9 a.m. on Thursday. They motored all’ over the fertile plains and some of them went home again on Saturday. . EXTENT OF THE VISIT.

Speaking to a reporter Mr. Bignell said that they had! a great deal to thank the Thames Valley Power Board officials for, because they had been shown everything that was worth seeing and the information they had secured would be of much value to the local Power Board. What they had seen in the Thames Valley was an eye-opener as to what an energetic power board could do and as to what an advantage to all hydro-electricity was. Practically everyone in the district would be taking, and using cheap power. *

A WONDERFUL COUNTRY. Mr. Bignell seemed to be greatly impressed with the appearance of ih Hauraki Plains and the amount of settlement there. The area, he said, was very large, many times the size of Taranaki, and was studded with dairy farms. It was a wonderful country. In some parts there were eight dairy farms to the mile of road. At Te Aroha, the headquarters of the Power Board, the party was met by the chairman, engineer, and secretary. Here the Power Board has tine offices and showrooms, where- practically everything electrica is to be seen. From here the party motored to iVlatamata, which is now being reticulated by th© Board. Then they went on to Horahora, on the Waikato, where the power station is. The Thames Valley Board buys its power in bulk from the Government at 50,000 volts, which is then broken down on ,the different circuits to the required voltage. THE BOARD'S POLICE-

The policy adopted by the Power Board is a very wise one. They work on a carefully prepared plan for reticulating the district, and every farmer is being catered tor. A system of construction has been adopted by which the engineer?} are paid on a 5 per cent, basis. The Board invites tenders for naatepal and buys in the best market,- and the engineers provide plans, engineers, clerical staff and superintend the wofk. The estimated cost for the whole work was £514,000, and approximate time for construction would be six years. The Board encouraged linking up by undertaking the installations right into the very houses, the cost to the owner being spread over a number of years. The Board carries good stocks of electrical fittings, and keeps a staff of men for wiring premises. The Board considered it could do the work more economically than private firms could, but private firms were competing. The work of the Power Board was on a par with that of a gas company, which supplied and installed fittings, but private companies could also do so. 1

A considerable portion of the work is completed, said Mr, Bignell and a very large amount is under construction. This gave the .visitors an opportunity of seeing the vai*ious operations at the different stages. From/ what could be seen, it was evident that the supply of., hydro-power would mean almost a transformation to the dairy industry in this part of New Zealand, winch already had tremendous possibilities. It gave to the dairy fanner a cheap and reliable power, and at the same time it gave the outback settler all the conveniences of the city dweller. The work was being done very thoroughly by the Board.