DELAY ON WEST ARM ROAD

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30555, 25 September 1964, Page 1

DELAY ON WEST ARM ROAD

Consultants’ Figures For Job Queried (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 24. There seemed little prospect of the £27.5 million Manapouri power scheme delivering its first electricity by April, 1968, as planned, said the Deputy-Leader of the Opposition (Mr Watt) tonight after a two-day visit to the area.

Mr Watt, who was formerly Minister of Works and Electricity, said that every contract so far let was running behind schedule. This was particularly true of the road over Wilmot Pass, which would link Deep Cove with the west arm of Lake Manapouri.

Almost a year ago Mr R. V. Core, a superintendent of the Bechtel Pacific Corporation, told a representative of “The Press” in Deep Cove that the road must be open by September 1, 1964. “This is essential if the driving of the tailrace is to keep to schedule,” he said. The Wilmot Pass road, the only means .of getting generators, turbines and other heavy gear for the underground powerhouse into West Arm, will be 14 miles long, and will rise steeply from sealevel to 2400 feet and descend to lake-level. “The delay is no fault of the contractors, or of the men on the job,” Mr Watt said tonight “The estimates of quantities of spoil and rock to be removed were too small by more than half. “The road was to have been finished this month. Now it will take at least another year. “When the Government agreed to pay £700,000 for surveys and investigations at Manapouri, made by private consultants to Comalco, did it check the information and advice purchased for this figure?” Under-Estimated “One of the surveys must have been the survey for the

road," Mr Watt continued, “but contractors tell me they had to do their own surveys. The quantity estimates were grossly under-estimated. “Now, the road could cost twice the original estimate. If similar mistakes have been made by the consultants in investigating the tailrace tunnel and the powerhouse, then the final cost will be anyone’s guess.” Mr Watt believes that the contracts were not placed in the right order. If the road had been finished before other contracts were let, he said tonight, Deep Cove would not be isolated as it was today. Because of bad weather, Mr Watt was himself unable to visit Deep Cove after attempting the flight from Manapouri. The weather also prevented planes from reaching a worker at Deep Cove who had suffered acute appendicitis. “Much of the labour trouble encountered on the job stems from its isolation and lack of a road,” Mr Watt said. “Pilots flying in and out seem to have to run undue risks. “The important issue is that under the Power-Plan-ning Report this year. Manapouri was supposed to have come on load in April, 1968. That must be the estimate of the consultants, Bechtel Pacific Corporation. “Work has only been under way 12 months, and already

every one of the contracts let is well behind schedule. Another station similar in size is being built by the Ministry of Works in conjunction with private enterprise at Aviemore. Aviemore Advantages “There are good working conditions at Aviemore—ls inches of rain a year against 300 inches at Manapouri. The Ministry of Works estimates that it will have the first power from Aviemore in 1969. “If the present pattern continues, it seems to me that there is no chance of having Manapouri on load in 1968. On the assumption that this power would be available, the Government put back the commissioning date of Aviemore by 12 months. With a hurry-up. Aviemore could still, perhaps, deliver power in 1968.

“The Government would be wise to look for an alternative 20 megawatts of power in 1968 to take the pressure off Manapouri. Pressure on a job means it can hardly be smooth-running, and leads to excessive costs.

Mr Watt said he was disappointed he had not been able to reach Deep Cove. He intends to make a second visit at the end of the year. Meanwhile, he is sure that both contractors and men are doing a fine job.