THE RANGITIKEI SUGGESTED.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160725, 11 August 1920, Page 8

THE RANGITIKEI SUGGESTED.

These considerations notwithstanding, the promotion of larger schemes than the one proposed for Wanganui has much to recommend it. A Power Board to operate the Wangaehu scheme would probably include representatives of the local government areas of Wanganui, Gonville, Castlecliff, and perhaps Wanganui County. But there would be an obvious saving for each local area in administration cost of operating, and interest on cost of construction, and consequently considerably cheaper power, if there were a bigger scheme operated by a Board representing, besides the localities named, the boroughs of Marton and Taihape, the town districts of Bulls, Hunterville, and Mangaweka, and the. counties of Waitotara and Rangitikei, and such difficulties or obligations as may arise against such a combination may, on being tackled, be found by no means insuperable. This, however, would necessitate a bigger source of power than the Wangaehu, and we therefore take the opportunity of commending to the Borough Council’s notice a suggestion which is, at the present moment, being quietly and unofficially discussed by many people in the neighbouring districts. It is that a Power Board be created over the area embracing the districts between the Rangitikei and Waitotara Rivers, with the Rangitikei River as the source of supply. The Rangitikei, as is well known, is an exceedingly swift river, with a very big fall, and—a very important item —of large summer volume. It has been suggested that it be dammed between Taihape and Mangaweka, where there is said to be so great a fall in its bed that a series of dams could be constructed from time to time as the scheme develops and as augmented power becomes necessary, all giving enough head of Water for the efficient generation of electric current. The idea is only as yet in the unofficial, or man-in-the-street stage, but we are informed that many who know the Upper Rangitikei express themselves as satisfied with its feasibility. Should the local bodies concerned become interested in the matter, and arrange to gather the necessary data, the scheme might be found well worth going into, and even if the Borough - Council feels disinclined to abandon what it has already done in regard to the Wangaehu River, the larger scheme may still be found well worthy of its consideration. If, on investigation, the Wanganui local bodies are not satisfied to go on with the Rangitikei scheme, no harm will be done. There will always remain the Wangaehu to fall back upon. But a comprehensvie scheme is so much to be preferred to one of limited scope that inquiries might well be set on foot and the cooperation of other local bodies sought, to determine the possibility or otherwise of something on a bigger scale being accomplished. Speedy action, however, is essential, whatever the decision. Hydroelectricity is not only coming, but is coming to stay, and it will solve many difficulties connected with the fuel problem. Those districts which act most quickly will secure great advantages; those which are slow to act may find themselves left.