Electricity For The Ng

Highlands

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby. June 30.

HYDRO-ELECTRIC installations are to be constructed at Goroka and Kain antu, in the Central Highlands ol New Guinea.

These will be small units to take care of local requirements, but will be capable of expansion as the demand increases.

This welcome move means all-electric homes for Europeans and improved work shop facilities. Likewise it will permit a big saving in the freight charges on light ing fuel which has to be flown in from the coast.

Mr. George Greathead. the District Commissioner at Goroka, has long been interested in getting hydro-electric in stallations and much credit for this de cision should go to him. The construct ing engineers are assured of every possible help from .the District Office.

Although’ no forecast can be made as to the completion date, an engineer is already working on the survey, and the Works and Housing Department is plan ning further surveys for hydro-electric schemes at Lae, Madang, Mt. Hagen, Wapenamanda and Kundiawa.

Port Moresby, of course, is to have the Rouna Hydro-Electric scheme, and ten ders have already been called for much of the equipment. But even the optimists are not anticipating Rouna power for at least three years.

Hydro-Electricity Potential

IN Australia, at the end of June, the Administrator, Colonel J. K.

Murray, painted a glowing picture of the future New Guinea would play in sup plying Australia and other parts of the world with jute, and other fibres, tea, cof fee, etc.

Colonel Murray said that what New Guinea needed was : • A guaranteed Australian market and equitable price for New Guinea products. • Development of New Guinea’s hydro electric possibilities. Fifteen million kilowatts could be developed easily, and 100 million could be generated. • More men, money and “know how” for the tremendous work ahead. Special needs at present were shipping and tradesmen.

He urged more Australians to go to New Guinea.

This is the first time that Colonel Mur ray has appeared anxious for Europeans to develop the Territories. He has, to date, appeared more concerned about native de velopment.

Meanwhile, the New Guinea Resources Prospecting Company has undertaken a survey in the Territory for the Common wealth Government and the British Alu minium Company. The Government holds 51 per cent, of the shares in the Pros pecting Co. and the BAG the remainder.

It is thought that hydro-electric plants at several places in the Territories, each generating about a quarter to half a mil lion horse-power, could be developed be fore the completion of Australia’s Snowy River scheme. This would allow new in dustries to be established in the Terri tory where the power potential is practically limitless.