LOOKING TO FUTURE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 7, 19 October 1940, Page 6

LOOKING TO FUTURE.

BENEFIT TO MID-CANTERBURY.

TRIBUTES TO THE ENGINEERS.

The ceremony off the laying of the pipe took place in perfect weather and was attended by about 400 visitors from all parts' of Canterbury. Among the visitors who attended the ceremony were Mr John AVood (En-gineer-in-Chief for the Public Works Department), Mr T. G. Beck (District Public Works Engineer), Mr T. D. Burnett ,(M t P. for Temuka), Mr Clyde Carr (M.P. for Tirnaru), Mr H. H. Sterling (liaison officer to the Minister for National Service) and the Hon. Sir R.. Heaton Rhodes.

Mr Wood, who presided, said that when the scheme was started it was found that the nature of the ground was not suitable, and a tunnelling idea was dropped. Other methods were considered, and finally the concrete pipeline was decided on, to be made up on the site. Perfect engineering technique developed in America was taken as a guide. Were it not for modern machinery the scheme would have been impossible. A great deal of the credit was due to Mr Beck.

County’s Welcome Mr S. P. Taylor (County Chairman) said the County was always pleased to have Mr Semple in the County. “We always endeavour to get as much as possible from the Minister and we always get the greatest consideration, said Mr Taylor, who added his tribute to the skill of those in charge of the scheme. “I hope the project will finally prove to he a huge success,” lie added. Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., said that as the member for Ashburton, Mr Clrigg, was overseas, lie was taking an interest in the electorate. However, it was being very ably looked after by Mrs Grigg. “Only by good old British pluck and guts will we win through. And we will not win on a 40-liour week,” said Mr Burnett. “Here are three things which we need at present: : —(l) To win the war; (2) to breed more babies; and (3) to make the climate of Canterbury more equable by making use of the God-given water from our rivers. Moreover, we want the sympathetic help of the Government and the Minister in solving any problems' that might arise on the lower lands. Had it been left to me I would have closed down this scheme until after the war.”

A voice: Never on your life; carry on Bob 1 ~

Mr .Clyde Carr, M.P., - said that the function was being held to advertise what had been done and what would be done in, the future. It was illustrative of the good old British motto: “Business as usual.” It -would be necessary to look to the future and to the time when the war was oyer.

“We here are waging war with nature and with forces overseas. Two wars are going on, but we have the utmost confidence in.the men in each Avar to carry out the struggle,” he said. Completion \in a Year. “The Rangitata diversion race will he 42,miles long, commencing in the Rangitata River gorge and ending at the Highbank power plant. The excavation of the race involved moving almost three million cubic yards of earth and to date'.more than tAvo-thirds of the work has been completed,” said Mr Semple. “Modem plant Avas used and the greatest rate of output in any one month Avas 280 thousand cubic yards. The average cost of the excavation has been approximately Is per cubic yard, alloAving for all trimming and finishing Avork, including the formation of embankments. A 12ft Avide metalled road Avill traverse the diversion race on each side for almost tho entire length for maintenance and inspection purposes. “Three types of large pipes are being manufactured. ■ The first, similar to the one being laid to-day, consists of units 12 feet inside diameter, 12 feet long, and weighing approximately 23 tons. Seven hundred and twentythree of these pipes are required to form the Surrey Hills siphon to take the floAv of the Rangitata. race past the dangerously unstable country of the hills for a distance of one and- a half miles.

“The second type of large pipe being manufactured consists of lift diameter pipes, 10 feet long, weighing 18 tons each. These are required to enable the diversion race to flow underneath the north and south Ashburton rivers.

“The third type of large pipe is also 11 feet iii diameter and will weigh nearly 19 tons. Seventy-five of these are required to form the upper end of the pipe line leading to the Highhank powerhouse. The pipe manufacturing plant lias been designed to produce eight complete pipes a day—six of the 12ft and two of the lift. . “Modern methods of control of the manufacture of the concrete and steam curing have been adopted to ensure the highest grade dense and permanent concrete. Tne Heavy gantries which lift and transport the pipes both here at the placing point and in the pipe casting plant were designed and manufactured almost completely by the Pub-

lie Works Department. The hoisting gear is capable of lifting; safely approximately 35 tons, that is—2B tons of pipe plus lifting tackle. “The total number of pipes required to he made for the diversion race is approximately 950 and the total weight of pipes to be manufactured would be approximately 28 thousand tons. It is expected that all this work cam he completed within a, year if war restrictions do not impose any limits. “The race when completed will carry a maximum flow of 23 million gallons per hour and the velocity of water through the 12ft diameter pipes will he about 10ft Bin per second. The areaof country which this irrigation, race will serve is approximately 320,000 acres, and five years of demonstration in South Canterbury has proved beyond question that the carrying capacity in sheep of the lands broughtunder irrigation can be increased from the present capacity of thrtee-quarters to two ewes per acre to five to eight ewes per acre all the year round. Doubling Population, “The ultimate development of water resources made available by this race will more than double the human population of Mid-Canterbury and. will increase the agricultural turnover at least four-fold. The Highbank hydroelectric power station will generate electricity every winter for five months .when the water is not required for irrigation and will be able to supply 30 000 horse-power at a. time when it is most nefeded. Until such time when the irrigation demand fully employs the water during the summer, electricity will he generated during the summer also, but irrigation will taka pprenedence in the demand on the supply “This is a vast undertaking and equal to anything in 'the world on a basis of population,” said Mr Semple. “The man to whom credit is due for the speedy construction work is Mr T. G. Beck. But even he could not have tackled the job without this aid of modern machinery and equipment.” The war, said the Minister, had upset the whole world, hut people living in New Zealand 1 were vtery lucky at the moment.

“Instead of doing any grumbling or grousing we should go on our bended knees and thank God we are living m a safety zone

“When the war is over wie will need settlement for our returned soldiers However, if this scheme interrupts our war effort it will have to stop, for if we do not come out victoriously there* will he no irrigation schemes or anything else. The job will mean increased production and closer settlement. I greatly appreciate thi& work of all the men concerned,” added the Minister.

Mr W. T. Strand (local director of the Hume Pipe Company) said that he appreciated the co-operation received from the Government. He paid a tribute to the Minister, the engineer and the men on the job. “We need much more than ‘running shoes’ if we are to keep up with engineering progress in New Zealand,” he said. Mr :S#rand then presented Mr, Semple with a silver tray as a memento, of the occasion.

The first big pipe was then lowered, into position. The Minister drove into it in his car. ,giving a graphic demonstration of its size. The visitors were entertained at lunch by the Hume Pipe Company.