PREVENTING FLOODS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20108, 29 March 1928, Page 8

PREVENTING FLOODS

► HYDRO ELECTRIC SCHEME HARNESSING A RIVER I The development of the hydro-el .- hric possibilities of the Hive/ Clarence ’ - an insurance against the danger of I » coding was suggested by the Aus--1 a!can Federal Treasurer, Dr. Da«c 3 rently. 0 ’ “The recent disastrous floods,*' Dr jlage said, hich caused losses I amounting to £780,000, in addition to Imany precious lives, .direct attention Ito the great national value of an ini vestigation into the use of the river :t<«r the generation of electricity." i Dr. Page represents the Federal | electorate of Cowper, in which the il orthern New South Wales flood ocI urred. The flost of constructing dams a: Jackadgery and at the Clarence Gorge, wUirn would be necessary for complete development of water 'power on th.* Clarence, would, he said, «losely approximate the actual losses caused by the floolw of 1821 and Ihe head works necessary to harness the river for power purposes would have a great influence in combating the danger of floods, by permitti>£ the waters to come down over a per*>d of weeks or months instead of devastating the country within a few Not only would flood losses be obviated-. Dr. Page said, but losses in .drought periods would also be jievent- | «•<!. In the last seven years means to ioveracme drought would have permitted the annual production to have {remained normal, and have increased its value by at least £1.000.000. Tn -••ven years the cost of the hydro-elec--lii development of the Clarence v mid have rountpr-balanced losses and [ prevented the possibility of losses in I the future.