ELECTRIC POWER.

Western Star, 25 September 1917, Page 3

ELECTRIC POWER.

In accordance with arrangements Messrs Rodger, Gilkison and Riddel, of the Southland League,-met Wallace Comity Councillors and Otautau Town Board Commissioners in the County Chambers on Friday afternoon. There were present Crs Seatter (chairman), Brown, Partinenter and Wesney (Town Board); Crs. McGregor! (chairman), Hcrrell, Findlay, Buckingham, Dyer, and Cody (Wallace County Council). Mr. McGregor was unanimously ' voted to the chair, and he called upon Mr A. W. Rodger to explain the proposals of the League. Mr Rodger returned thanks, on behalf of the League for the opportunity granted by the Local bodies for the discussion of the proposals. Southland League had. tackled the question of electric power almost at its inception, and the appointment of Mr Birks to make an exhaustive report .upon the subject had emanated from the League’s activities. In the Dominion’s scheme of electrification Lake Coleridge was counted upon to supply the. northern part of the South Island and Southland for the southern part. The North Island was to he supplied by Auckland, Hawkes Bay, and Wellington. It is in the hands of the people of Southland to . say whether or not they will "take their place in the march of progress. Local bodies have been good in setting up committees for the collection -of information which will be of value to .Mr Birks. It will be some time before lie gives an .indication of bis findings. But a feasible scheme—whether by water power or otherwise—will be found in Southland. Electric power at this particular time has am incalculable value. Every country is thinking electricity. Shortage of labour can be met by cheap power, and enterprise facilitated hit the great commercial battle after the war. What are Southland’s chances of , securing electric power and light, excepting by the initiative of the people? The North Island has the , preponderance of Legislative force, and the Government is committed to , three installations in the North Island ere a- second project is tackled in , the South Island. Private enterprise cannot be looked to, as the expendi- ! ture necessary is heavy and profits ] not immediately prospective.. Southland League’s proposal is to* place. on . the Statute Book The Electric Power Boards Bill, which provides for the , constitution of districts or rating ureas, appoint boards of management, and go ahead. The proposition is , worthy of consideration. Draft copies , of the Bill have> been circulated throughout the local bodies of Southland. 1 It is Southland’s policy to help itself. If the measure is placed on the Statute Book it does not commit local bodies' to- any liability, hut it furnishes the machinery necessary for a district to help itself. With the northern part of the South Island and the whole of the North Island eleotri- * lied, Southland will be working under i great disadvantages. Electric power ; would bring into existence industries * at present xmthought of. In the dairying industry immense benefits ; would accrue, and anyone doubting ] this should take a. trip toi Canterbury. Some might say, why bother while * the-war is going on? N'ow is: .the time to 'formulate -and prepare for . post war problems, and a big scheme ■: would take years to put into opera- ' tion. Mr Rodger dealt with the pro- ] posed Bill clause by clause, and i clearly explained its provisions. -

Mr. Riddel endorsed all that Mr Rodger had said. If the installation of electric, power was not tackled we would be handicapped out of the market. Efficiency must be our watchword, and the establishment of profitable industries our aim. Mr Gilkison said he had not come to make a. speech, but public spirit was worth while arousing. A public man might get many kicks, but lias his recompense when progress is being made. The Bill before them was simply a draft—it has yet to be apj proved and passed by Parliament. The League has simply tried to put into concrete form, a means of securing to Southland advantages already possessed by Canterbury and decided upon by the North Island. The establishment of electric power is much preferable to subsidising the Standard Oil Company, and at the same time much cheaper. The average cost per month of 2000 householders in Christchurch is 4/- per month for lighting. Mr McGregor said that America had placed in the hands of companies control of similar sources of power to those which we possessed, and the people were exploited. By Board or Government control exploitation, was impossible, as the people had the power in their own hands. He had hitched a dynamo on to an old water wheel at his own place, and his power and lighting cost nothing, whereas his lighting alone used to cost £3O a year. With the power available great opportunities were thrown away by letting it go to waste.

Mr Buckingham thanked Mr Rodger for laying, out the scheme. M e should keep up our end of the stick with the rest of the world, and push the proposal along. A relative of has. at Addington surprised him with the information that lighting, cooking and ironing cost 2/5 a month. He moved that this meeting of members of Otautau Town Board and Wallace County Council approves of the draft bill and will support whatever steps are necessary to facilitate the enactment of the measure.

Mr Dyer seconded the motion. Ho. said electric power and lighting would

be a boon to primary producers and manufacturers alike—-dairying, shearing, and chaff-cutting, all required cheap and effective power. Messrs Horrell, Findlay, Seatter, and Wesney also spoke in support of the project, and the motion was carried unanimously. On the motion of Messrs Buckingham and Seatter a. hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Rodger for address.

Mr Rodger said this was. their first meeting with the local bodies, and the feeling evinced augured well for the success of the project. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the meeting. WESTERN DISTRICT TOUR OF INSPECTION. —Orepuki, Lake Monowai and the Ohai Coalfields. — On Saturday morning at 9 a.m. six motor cars conveying representatives of Southland County Council, Wallace County Council, Bluff Harbour Board and Borough Council, Gore Borough Council, Invercargill Borough Council, Southland League, Mr Birks, Government electrical expert, Mr Foster, electrical engineer Invercargill Tramways, Mr J. G. C. Baker, County engineer, Mr H. D. Haszard,' Commissioner of Crown Lands, and a number of Southland’s prominent public men passed through Otautau on a; visit of inspection of probable sources, of supply for the installation of electric power And lighting _in Southland. Tlie party visited Orepuki shale works and district, Tuatapere, on to Monowai via Blackimount and Sunnyside, and returned through Ohai to Otautau where Mr Birks was to speak.

—Mr Birks’ Lecture.—

A!U 8 o'clock 'the Town Hall wa s comfortably filled to hear Mr Birks’ lecture on electricity, and though noticeably tired with th® exertions of the strenuous day’s Work h© had gone through, his lecture was bright, entertaining, full of information and interesting beyond measure to those of us who have not lived •in “ electric ” parts. Taking the harnessing of Lake Coleridge l , by lantern slides the audience were shown the whrk from its commencement to its completion. The Lake is tapped by a tunnel two miles in length driven through a. hill, and giving, a direct fall of 4.80 ft (from Lake Monowai a fall of 150 ft is available). Originally 8000 h.p. was takenfrom. Lake Coleridge. La.terly, on account of the enormous ' demand, the power taken is 16,000 h.p. Houses are now built without chimneys — lighting, cooking, ironing, cleaning all being done cheaper, quicker, and with absolute cleanliness by electricity. Motor cars, lorries, lime crushers, dairy factories, and wbereveir power is required it is obtainable in Canterbury at a quarter the cost of any other power. To give like a reflex of Mr Birks’ lecture wo will have to defer till a future issue.