AHEAD OF CONTRACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 289, 6 December 1928, Page 8

AHEAD OF CONTRACT.

WAIKAREMOANA POWER.

STATION OPENING EARLY. READY IN FORTNIGHT FOR WATER. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Waikaremoana hydro-electric power station will be ready for the turning on of the water in a fortnight, and the official opening will probably be early in the New Year. The original contract date was June, 1929, so the work is well in advance of the contract. It has been hastened owing to the delay at Arapuni and the consequent overloading of Mangahao. AUCKLAND NOT AFFECTED. GOOD NEWS ABOUT ARAPUNI. COMPLETION BEFORE JULY. The early completion of the Waikaremoana scheme will not affect the Auckland supply. Mr. R. H. Bartley, general manager of the Auckland Power Board, informed a "Star" representative to-day that any scheme for linking up would take at least two years to complete, as there were about thirty miles of virgin bush between any points over which a link could be made. No surveys had been made.

Apropos the question of power supply, Mr. Bartley mentioned that the latest reports from Arapuni were extremely satisfactory, and there was every reason to expect the scheme to be completed before the expected date —towards the end of June or the beginning of July. "We are very well satisfied," said Mr. Bartley, "and everything is in readiness to receive the power."