ELECTRIC POWER

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14242, 17 December 1919, Page 8

ELECTRIC POWER

SOUTH ISLAND CRITICISM. Further criticism of the Public Works Department’s attitude in connection with the extension of electric power facilities to country districts was passed at a meeting: of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League, At the November meeting of the executive, in view of the reported intention of the Public Works Department to supply electrical energy to local bodies only to the boundaries of local bodies’ districts, a resolution was passed urging that the Department was ,n duty bound to carry the electric current to a convenient distributing centre in each power district, and protesting against tire reported intention of the Department to carry the mains no farther than a counts' boundary. The organiser (Mr P. R. Climie) reported that the resolution had been forwarded on to the Department, but as Sir Wm. Fraser was busy winding up tlie affairs of his portfolio before he resigned, he had not been pressed cn the matter. Mr Clirnie understood that ttie Ellesmere and Springs County Councils had received intimation that, the Department saw no reason why it should depart from its previously expressed intention of carrying tiie current to the boundary lines. The Springs and Ellesmere County Councils intended to press the matter further. The chairman (Mr A. G. Henderson) said that this attitude of the Department seemed to determine its policy regarding electrical extension for the whole of New Zealand. This was a serious matter, and he did not think the League should be content with flic policy of the Department—that districts should be settled and demands established before electrical or other facilities for development were given. The surest way to develop the, unpopulated country was to carry reals and railways into it, and to provide electric power and lighting, but the Department took the attitude that untU the demand actually occurred it need not offer the current for energy. This discouraged efforts on the part of local bodies for the development of the system. He believed that the Public Works Department was out of touch with the feelings af the country, and that feeling was that the country should “get on” (applause). The League should got a direct intimation from the Public Works Department as to the policy it intended to adopt. Mr Henderson was strongly of opinion that the attention of all similar Leagues, com Ihc North Cape to Bluff, should be directed to this matter. Mr A. W. Judd considered il was a bad policy for the Government to wail until there was a strong demand for electric power. In neighbouring districts Hour milling, tlaxrnilling, brick, pipe, and pottery works could be, deplored if power was available. Wherever there was a possibility of the extension paying the Government should extend the electric power. Mr Laurcnson moved :- i -“That the Progress League forward to the Public Works Department the resolution passed at the last meeting of the. League, and urge the necessity' 01 the Department at once clearly setting out its policy in connection with the extension of electrical power to Canterbury districts,” The motion was seconded by Mr Judd.

Mr A. F. Wright said he considered that if the Public Works Department was not prepared to carry out the necessary work in the matter of hydroelectric development then that work should, in the interests of the country’s industries, be placed with a special Department. It might be advisable to obtain the opinions of Parliamentary candidates on the matter. Mr C. M. Ollivier expressed the opinion that until the hydro-electrical work was run on business line's by those who understood it, success would never he achieved. The motion was carried after a little further discussion.