WELL ADVANCED.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20334, 5 September 1931, Page 17

WELL ADVANCED.

REPAIR WORK AT ARAPUNI. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (MB SS ASSOCIATION TOLBQBAIC.) WELLINGTON, September 4. The repairwork at the Arapuni ' - hydro-electric station is proceeding v very satisfactorily, according to a statement made by the Minister fdr Public Works - (the Hon. W. B. Taverner) in an interview. ' ( 'lt is in fact somewhat ahead of the scheduled, programme," said the Minister, "and . it is anticipated that station : wilL again be running under load before the middle of next year." Mr Taverner said the work was being energetically carried on, on practically - all the Various jobs- repairs: - scheme. Activities Jbad of late oeen> " somewhat restricted on -account of the ;. inclement "weather. July, SH.'J,'? wet days, were . experienced, and as a "r----result, progress on most of' the outside '' f work had been adversely affected. Every 4 effort had been made to maintain three'-" shifts on the work at' the headrace, * preparatory to the placing of .the impervious lining and on the «xcajation work at the falls and the overflow channel, these being the three, major items of repair work. The number of 1 3 .men employed bad been somewhat re- ; duced, the e reduction being largely .owing to the fact that the-preparatory -S work in the headrace was well- ad- f vanced, and somewhat' ahead of-thd lining work. ■ . ' .Contracts in excess of £so,ooohad j- / been let for, the manufacture of >conr ■< crgte paving* slabs, and for/ the bitu- - * minous lining-and steel"«heetinsf',r®-.. : quired in connexion with the head- - race lining. An interesting jwtrfc of > the "repair work was the*reinforcement of the country.at the junction'of the * spillway dam, with thectincrfite -intake > emplacements. A considerable amount of groutingwork had been done in- " ; i connexion with the'main crack," which*i occurred in the headrace -at tne time *> I of the brfeakdown; irn June, last-year- ,