ELECTRIC POWER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20000, 16 July 1920, Page 7

ELECTRIC POWER.

NUMBER ONI ON GOVERNMENT LIST. MINISTER’S POLICY STATEMENT. [Fiioii OtiH Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, July 16. The Minister of Public Works, the Hon J. G. Coates, was interviewed by j the Canterbury Members’ Committee to-day, regarding hydro-electrical mat- | tors and other public works. The deputation comprised tho Hon C. A. C. Hardy, Sir Heaton Rhodes, 'Messrs Isitt, Witty, Sullivan, IX- Jones, l orbes, Bitclieucr, Burnett, Howard, M’Combs and Craigio Sir Heaton Rhodes said that Canter- ■ bury was not satisfied with tho general development of hydro-electric schemes, j They believed that tho Public Works Department had enough on hand witfij out concerning itself with hyclro-clcc- | trie development, and that there should bo a special branch for the latter activity. Mr D. Jones, speaking from a country point of view, said it looked as if the Department was seeking its most prolitable market in (ho city and was not supplying sufficient power and light to country districts. Ho also urged tho importance of facilitating tho report on the Waimakariri River, also the early completion of the Otira tminel, ns tho coal shortage was intensified by the miners having to stop owing to bad weather delaying steamers. To utilise the coal mines to the fullest extent it was absolutely essential 10 complete the tunnel at an early date. Mr, Witty referred to tho efficiency which should result from an electrical specialist being at tho head of his department. Tho tunnel had been tar too much delayed. It would open up fresh areas' of coal and make business independent of shipping delays. It also was important to connect up Westport with Inangahne, Junction. This line would open up millions of tons of coal and millions of feet of timber. Ten miles had not been surveyed owing to a question of deviation arising. Six miles was lying idle. Another six had been completed, except for rails and ballasting. The Minister; The Duller Gorge railway is a hefty proposition. Mr Witty; It would pay. The Minister: What would it cost to complete P The deputation suggested that a sum of about £460,000 was involved. Mr Sullivan said the principal object of the deputation was to again urge the seriousness ol the position 01 Canterbury due to shortage of power. As a member or the Electrical Committee of tho. City Council he knew' that new development of industry was being paralysed. Scores of applications for power and light connections were received at every meeting,, including a number from returned sobers, Ivut the committee had to turn them down. r; nS CK l'mated that Christchurch could absorb seven times more power than now was available. This showed the immense importance of putting in a new- pipe lino and creating a special electrical department. Ho hoped that the Minister would give Canterbury some hope that the supply of power would soon be increased. Mr Forbes dealt with the necessity ot .creating an electrical department, which, he sqid» would concern itself with the disposal of power rather than l engineering developments. North Canterbury was anxiously awaiting a supply. Ho wished to know when the \\ ainiakariri River report would be available, as there were other probj -I s 6am ° kind further north, including that jf the AVniuu River: [ Non-comploticn of the Inangahua June--1 tpn hue was considerably adding to the coni difiicultv. J Mr Burnett put the SouJi Canterbury ease. They looked, ho said, on ! Lake Coleridge as only it standby. I They had been promised current frithnr eighteen months. They .would like 10 have Mr Birks’s expert, opinion on th e possibility of providing power from tho Ilangituta and Waitaiti luvors The Hoa EG. Coates: Will it not moan a huge dam? Mr Burnett replied that a waterare on contour would meet tho position. The people, he said, were lairlv desperate for power. y Mr Howard declared that two things Ji°r d firs* P b after the war-fit st house* then cheap power. ami V* oUlg little bit « Sun-such’f f ? rrig T g t0 in Canteiso nf i.r b ‘-f demons tration of the Zealand 1 •? ™" ld New Zealand a, world-wide advertisement I Mr Crnigio heartily supported the was a small power, and it wa* essential . Mr M. Combs expressed a hone ilia I in developing Lake Coleridge the Minlßter. would not overlook ,the fart that hare to be mmlo fo 000,000 umts annually to work an electrified Cknatchurch-Lyttelton li m , to which the Railway Depar'ane I'was Whw will, i,.,,,,,,™,™ at Palmerston North, ns tho two most urgent matters on tho Hiiev develop, wont so homo, * Mr I,sitt said it was the opinion of expo! ts that lor three to three and a hall millions sterling the Government could _ provide lighting, heating and provision for small machinery on farms lor every house throughout North and bouth Canterbury. Ho thought the position of the Waimakariri River re serious that he had a.sire,l the editors ol the Christchurch newspapers to investigate it, themselves and show the people how dangerous was the situation. Not only was huge devastation threatened in the, immediate future, hut loss of life as well. He knew that, it meant enormous expenditure, but something must he done. ELECTRIO DEVELOPMENT POLICY. Tho Minister devoted the first portion of his reply to a. statement of liydro-electrk'al development policy. Ho said Unit at first he thought T would bo necessary to have a. separate department from tho. Public "Works, hut lie found this would mean a separate construction branch, survey branch and everything. There was a" tremendous demand for electricity, not only by industries, but by householders. He wont into the matter carefully, and was faced with tho prospect that at the end of fifteen years, when development was completed, ho would be left with a number of exports, engineers and fore-J men who would have nothing to do, so he decided that he would recommend tho Government to begin with a s,opar-; ate branch of the Public Works De- i partment for hydro-clcctrical development. This would bo concerned solely with headworks, tunnels, etc., while the i engineering work, generation of power I ami reticulation would be run by a separate branch of mechanics, on- - gineers and record clerks.. Ho would admit that the organisation was far j from complete, far from perfection, but | there wore men in the Public Works 1 Department and Electrical Department who, if given encouragement and sup- • port, would acquit themselves with; credit and to the country’s satisfaction. ’ lie know that there was a feeling of irritation about delays in getting public Departments to make a move, and ho felt that the first thing was to set about producing the machinery which was going to do the job. No matter who was tho Minister, ho could not carry on tho Government’s policy successfully unless ho hacf a stall behind him capable of quicklv giving effect to the Government's policy The war period, and the stagnation which followed, had left its mark on everyone, engineers included. They were endeavouring to get into position to make tho progress which everybody was demanding. Tins ima-.ni rc-s Infilling and new methods. Ho could not. say anything mere about- this aspect, excepting

that numbers of changes were being made in connection “with the Department, and he was endeavouring to get into position to tackle the job ho wanted. It was very much easier to take men along with one than to drive them. He hud, therefore, decided to have a construction branch of tho Public Works Department for hy-dro-electrical development and had made a, start on this system at Maugahao. The same thing would happen at Coleridge. As to sale power he thought the time was coming whdfl this must bo controlled by business men. It was a national concern, and they must make, no mistakes, consequently ho was proposing that as soon as they had a quantity ot power for sale this phase would be handed over to the meu~who‘ would handle it as a business proposition. Tim construction and development of power must remain in the hands of the Government, because it was responsible for tho policy to be pursued CANTERBURY’S NEEDS. “In regard to Canterbury and its demands, ’’ continued the Minister, I admit that if we had, known what wo know now instead of putting in a 1C,01)0 horse power plant wo would have gone straight ahead and built a power house to develop three times that, amount Wo have 8000 horse rower now and 4000 coming, and tenders for another 4000 will close at the end of Ihp month. It is our intenlgm to go on making provision for the surveys and for increasing pipe lines and diversion of water, bild it also means building another now powerhouse. A DEFINITE OBJECTIVE. Mr Sullivan; Has the diversion work commenced? The Minister: I do not- think bo. Tho engineer is iiow preparing estimates. I am trying to set un a definite objective, a point to which I can work in twelve months, two years and three years. 1 want to have a clear indication of what we expect to reach, and to go for. This is difiicult because many of the surveys arc not complete, as in Otago Central, but I hope to be able to show it in the Public *, *jrks Statement, if 1 yin rely on so many men, so many engineers, so much material, and when it will be here, and when contracts will be let and completed. These are flic difficulties. Contracts for machinery were let two years ago, nod they will only make a start in September. This is the world-wide experience. 1 cannot give you any idea of the time within which the work will he complete, because I have not the information. The Government recognises that hy-dro-elec triea I devclonment is Number I One on its list. "When wo complete our schemes it will attract capital and labour to the country, develop our in- . dnstrics and linim them up to date. I OTIRA TUNNEL. 1 In connection with the Otira tunnel the Minister said that he hoped to see tenders accepted for electrical oquip- ; ment on August 7 anti it was possible | that some of the necessary machinery | would arrive within eighteen months.' I Mr "Witty: When will the tunnel bo completed? j The Minister: I think in about six mouths it will bo ready for going on : with electrical construction unless d»I lays keep it back. The men arc going on with the work at present, and wo hope to be able to come to an understanding. railway construction. As to Bullcr Gorge railway, continued Mr Coates, the Government knew , there were valuable coal deposits to be tapped, ami for that reftson he would be pleased when the Public Works Statement was being compiled to lay the deputation’s representations before j Cabinet. He had to recognise that it was impossible to complete every rnil--1 way He had 1600 men on public 1 jrerks. He knew it was being said. . \on arc not paving enough," but if I they increased Hie ware be dmibtod Mr it would increase tho number of j men very much, as there were so rannv other avenues open for labourers and many did not like to rough it, as -was necessary to some extent" on public ; works. “Candidly," said Mr Coates, ! I know that so far as construction is concerned it is ini possible to talk about tackling tho' lot. Wo must cutout some lines and concentrate op important ones. We have to decide wliethei wo shall spend onr money open-, ing up coalfields, opening up farming brll or connecting up existing lines. 00 yon will find plenty of ground for discussion in tho Public Works Statement. Mr I'orbes: And some disappointments. , Questioned about the Waimakariri river report the Minister promised to hurry tho matter. The report was complete, but awaited completion of surveys before consideration.