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The Government's scheme for the public supply of electricity has been based on a generating-plant capacity of £ horse-power per head of population. The generating plants throughout the country (Government and local authorities) are now equivalent to about i horse-power per head of the total population of the Dominion. In the period under review—viz., March, 1920, to March, 1928 —the growth in output from the various Government power-stations has increased from 7,000 kw., with a unit output of 33,000,000 units, to 57,000 kw., and 257,000,000 units ; and the actual operating capital involved from £422,000 in 1920 to £4,544,000 in 1928. In addition to this, a further sum approximating to £3,000,000 is now in construction, and will be brought to revenue within the next twelve months. Coleridge. In the year ending 1920 the Lake Coleridge scheme, which was then the only Government scheme in active operation, had an installed capacity of 6,000 kw. This was increased to 12,000 kw. by the addition of two 3,000 kw. units in 1923 and 1924- respectively. The addition of a further two units of 6,000 kw. capacity each in 1926-27 brought the station to its present capacity of 24,000 kw., and preparations are now in hand for the installation of a further 6,000 kw. set, which is now on order. H ORAHQRA. This power-station, of a capacity of 6,300 kw., was purchased from the Waihi Company in November of 1919, and taken over by the Government in March of the following year. Growth of load necessitating extensions to the plant in 1925, two additional 2,000 kw. units were installed, bringing the capacity of the station up to 10,300 kw. Mangahao and Waikaremoana. Work on the Mangahao scheme, on the installation of .18,000 kw. of plant, was commenced in 1920, and the station put into operation in 1924. This was such an immediate success that within two and a half years the station was overloaded, and the work of constructing a further station at Waikaremoana had to be put in hand earlier than was anticipated to relieve the situation. This last scheme (of which the first section only is in hand) will have an ultimate capacity of 105,000 kw. At present two 15,000 kw. units are in process of installation, and should be in operation early in the coming year. Arapuni. After extended investigation at Arapuni, a site for the dam was selected, and a contract let for the complete work in July, 1924. There have been one or two unfortunate hitches in the work ; however, No. 1 Section is completed, and No. 2, or the Powerhouse Section, which has been taken over from the contractors by the Department, is progressing so favourably that it may safely be anticipated that supply therefrom wiil be available by the middle of next year. The present installation consists of three 15,000 kw. units, and demand of the district is such that the station will be fully loaded from its inception. Waitaki. To cope with the demand in the South Island, work on a new station at Kurow, on the Waitaki River, has been put in hand. The first installation will be of the order of 30,000 kw. out of an ultimate capacity of 75,000 kw. Tenders for the main items of plant have been called, and construction is being pushed, with the aim of having the station in operation in the winter of 1931-32. General. The total plant capacity in the Dominion in 1920 in both Government and other supply authorities' stations was 43,899 kw. feeding 54,900 consumers, and representing an invested capital of £3,250,000. To-day the installed plant capacity is 146,360 kw., feeding 244,000 consumers, and representing an invested capital of £20,000,000. The total length of distribution-lines has grown in the period mentioned from 2,500 in 1920 to 17,063 route-miles in 1928. In the year ending 31st March, 1920, under the Power Boards Act, ten Power Boards had been formed, to serve a then population of 138,000, and an area of 17,000