Waipori village to go under

In the years to come the old mining township of Waipori will be but a name. That is, if the proposal of the Dunedin City Council to flood both township and the surrounding district is allowed to become effective, and there seems no reason why it should not. The City Council is looking ahead, and some day it hopes to generate 25,000 horsepower at the Waipori power station. There would be no possibility of attaining this end with the water supply at present obtainable in the Waipori River, and it is with the object of securing a much greater supply that the council has erected a dam some miles up the river from the station to enable water to be conserved. Under the Empowering Act of 1920 permission was obtained to construct a dam 38 feet 4 inches in height. This dam will permit about 1000 acres being flooded.

Now the corporation has decided to ask permission from Parliament to increase the height of the dam to 110ft, with the idea of ultimately flooding some 4500 acres. If that permission is obtained a start will be made to raise the dam to 60ft in the meantime. This increased height should be completed in about three or four years. It will be some years later, however, before the corporation will require the full height of 110ft. If the necessary permission is obtained from Parliament an area 15 miles back from the big dam will finally be flooded, and 25,000hp will be generated from the Waipori power station. 

When the full project is accomplished it is estimated that a greater quantity of water will be available than is contained in the Otago Harbour from Dunedin to the Heads.

Household management theory

Mrs Strong, who attended the Home Economics Congress at New Orleans while she was in America, has returned imbued with now ideas for the work of the Otago Home Economics Association. The first meeting of the year will be held in the Home Science Department tomorrow evening, when the first of a series of lectures on "Thrift" will be delivered. It will deal with the reasons why goods spoil, and will demonstrate the bottling of fruits and vegetables. 

Port train time tweak

It is understood that the Railway Department contemplates altering the time of the train that leaves Dunedin for Port Chalmers at 6.15pm to 5.45pm, as from May 1 next. This alteration is being arranged in response to a request made on behalf of the majority of the users of the train in question, who complain of the long interval between the time they cease work and the present time of departure of the train.

30 years of ‘dry’ Clutha

A conference of temperance workers to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the carrying of no-license in the Clutha was held at Clinton on Friday afternoon. Supporters from Dunedin, Lawrence, Benhar, Balclutha, Waiwera and Gore were present. 

It was agreed "That the convention put on record its warm appreciation of the devoted services of the many men and women, first in South Molyneux and later in the Clutha electorate, who did so much to carry the flag to victory 30 years ago; that it express gratification, in spite of much opposition and many difficulties, with the results; and thanks Almighty God for His leading and keeping all through the years." The convention was continued in the Balclutha Presbyterian Church in the evening. — ODT, 25.3.1924

Compiled by Peter Dowden