ARAPUNI.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20028, 9 September 1930, Page 10

ARAPUNI.

OFFICIAL INSPECTION. AN OPTIMISTIC NOTE. Crags* i£iocuTioa HAMILTON, September 8. An official visit of inspection was paid to the Arapuni hydro-electric wor -s to-day by tho Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister for Public Works, where he met Professor P. J. Hornell, the expert from Sweden, and officers of the Department. Though no announcement regarding the investigations was made, an optimistic tone prevails which may be in terpreted that there is high hope that Arapuni will not bo abandoned. The report of Professor Hornell will not bo ready for some weeks, l understood that various possible solutions of the present difficulties h will make it possible to carry on have been made, but the nature of them nas not been disclosed. Professor Hornell has been *ery thorough in all he has done. _ Ho nas explored tunnels and shafts, xnspecte specimens of strata, and haß discussed the problem with everybody likely have a knowledge of the position. Since tho headrace was unwaterea there has been no movement at Arapuni, and the majority of the fissures now are closed. The power-house foundations, which are stated to have developed serious cracks about the time of the first trouble, are reported to be quite safe, and not to have subsided in any way. All reports that the base had given away are greatly exaggerated. Prior to the construction of the power-house there was a tremendous overburden of rock on the actual site. Tests proved that the bearing value of tho rock foundations was immeasurably greater than they had been called upon to bear by the presence of tho ingSince the trouble commenced a seismograph has been installed at Arapuni, where it records all earth movements. The charts show there has been little or no movement. The recording line is practically level, but slightly wavy.