HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14135, 12 August 1919, Page 5

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

HAMILTON’S DILATORINESS.

OTHER DISTRICTS MOVING

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTION

The important mailer of hydro-elec-tric power was discussed at some length by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce last night. The chairman (Mr Geo. Parr) read extracts from papers which showed that other districts were moving ahead. He said it seemed that Hamilton was lagging behind, and this was unfortunate, as there was much work to be done, and whichever Board got in first would received first consideration. The fie Awamutu and Thames Valley Boards were pustiing on, finding out what would be the requirements, and some districts in the Wellington area were also moving in the same direction. The secretary (Mr Nelson) said Hamilton was the only district wtiich was lagging 'behind. Te Awamutu and Thames Valley had fixed their boundaries. The local committee could do nothing because the Hamilton Borough Council would do nothing. The Council had ids own scheme for a loan of £30,000 for extending the present town plant. This included a coalhurning generating plant, which he thought was unsatisfactory. Mr Gruar stated that the Borough Council’s special committee was collecting data for the £30,000 loan scheme, and he (as chairman of the Electrical Committee) thought data for the Hora Hora scheme should be collected at the same time. He was committed to the .furtherance of the Hora Hora scheme, as he considered .it would be of the most benefit to Hamilton. They were 'told that the £30,000 was required for a stand-by plant, but to his knowledge Hora Hora had been in existence for 10 years without a breakdown, and he thought it could be relied on. He thought the loin scheme was rather premature until they saw what came of the Hora Hora scheme. The Council’s special committee was all for haste, while he wanted to go slowly. The special committee seemed to be wedded to the loan scheme. The Borough Council was not opposed to Hora Hora, but the collecting of data was fti the hands of the committee.

Mr .lebson said that seeing Hora Hora would benefit the whole district it should receive support in preference to the parochial scheme. He understood that it would take ten hours to “work up" the steam-generated plant so it would be of little use as a standby. Mr Gruar explained that the two committees of the Borough Council comprised three members each. An attempt had been made to bring about an amalgamation, but it had proved abortive, as he and bis fellow-com-mitteemen would not commit themselves until data had been submitted to them. As a result they were still acting separately. In reply to the chairman, (Mr Gruar said the loan proposal would have to be submitted to the ratepayers. He was always unwilling to sec any scheme “turned down” by the ratepayers, because it appeared like a vole of no-oonfldence in the Council. The chairman urged the need to push matters, in view of the return of the political leaders and the action of other districts. Cambridge, Te Awamutu and Thames Valley were forging ahead. Several members considered there was little prospect of the loan proposal being carried, and therefore much valuable time was being lost. The chairman pointed out that the hydro-electric scheme would result in a big saving in coal. He moved that the Prime Minister he wired to as follows: “That this Chamber respectfully suggest that the Government complete" the purchase of the Hora Hora electric power plant at the earliest possible moment, so that the power can be made available to the general public without delay, thereby helping to diminish to a very great extent the unsatisfied demand for coal, and to tend to conserve stocks. The Waikato is patiently awaiting prompt action on the part of the Government to assist them to produce more at less cost."

The motion was carried, and it was further resolved to urge the Hamilton Borough Council and other local bodies to lose no time in finding out the actual quantity of material that would be required, and to intimate to prospective power-users that each application would bo dealt with according to iis priority.

This morning Mr Parr sent a telegram to Hon. W. F. Massey on the linos of the resolution carried.