Plans For Wanganui Dam Deferred

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31500, 14 October 1967, Page 1

Plans For Wanganui Dam Deferred

(New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI, October 13. A proposed hydro-electric power dam on the Wanganui River has been shelved, possibly for 20 yean. This was announced today by the Ministry of Works’ chief design engineer (Mr W. M. Duncan).

Mr Duncan said the Ministry had been forced into a decision by a request from the Wanganui. County Council, asking whether temporary or permanent structures should be used for bridge replacement work on the Wanganui River. If the dam was built, several of the bridges would have been swamped by the formation. of the dam lake.

In a letter from the Ministry of Works, the Wanganui County Engineer (Mr J. Miller) was told that construction of the bridges should proceed, since it would be a considerable number of years before any proposed

power development would affect the structures. “No mor* money will be

spent on site investigation,” said Mr Duncan. “That part of the work is nearly finished and nothing ..more will be done about the project now.” In the last eight years, the Ministry of Works has spent about slm on site investigation.

Opawa School P.T.A.— Pupils of the Opawa School entertained the Opawa ParentTeacher Association recently with instrumental and choral items. Three headmasters of the school were present during the evening.—Messrs E. F. Davidson (who has just retired), H. M. Nicholls (present head) and M. Watson (who will commence duties next year).