M.O.W. Prepares For Big Auction

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32214, 5 February 1970, Page 12

M.O.W. Prepares For Big Auction

<N.Z. Press Association) I INVERCARGILL, Feb. 4. I Ministry of Works men are preparing for the biggest auction in Southland, when 10,000 tons of surplus equipment and scrap, from I the Manapouri scheme, | will be sold over two or three days in mid-April, lat Supply Bay, Manapouri.

; The goods to be sold are (officially called construction residue—and include tons of large diameter pipe, pumps and motors, big dump trucks, pneumatic equipment, conI Crete placing gear, conveyers, I tractors, steelwork, railway iron, thousands of sleepers (once used in the five-mile double track in the tailrace 'tunnel and hundreds of other ! items. I However, much of the (equipment from the scheme (will stay at West Arm until j phase two of the project, the ; installation of the last generators, is completed.

All gear from Deep Cove had been removed, a spokesman for the Ministry of Works in Wellington said in Invercargill today. Only Wanganella Apart from some items which have been handed to the Fiordland National Park Board, the only item still to be disposed of at Deep Cove was the Wanganella. The spokesman said ho understood that the Hong Kong owners would remove her as soon as arrangements could be made for a tug. j The ship was nearing comjplete readiness for her journey.

In all, about 20,000 tons of equipment have been brought out from West Arm and Deep Cove, but much of this has been disposed of among other Government departments ox sent north in preparation for the calling of tenders overseas.

Some of the scrap iron brought out has already been sold, and presumably melted. About 500 single men’s huts have been sold by tender and iprivate treaty and as many remain at West Arm for stage ! two staff.

Some equipment has been taken over by New Zealand Aluminium Smelters for use in the smelter construction project at Tiwai Point. Steam Station Of tlie specialist equipment being used by Government departments, some has been taken by the Electricity Department for transmission line equipment, and other gear has gone to the New Plymouth steam station project. The giant aggregate plant at Deep Cove, which covered five acres, has been sold by private tender. Special gear used in punching through the tailrace tunnel and excavating for the

underground powerhouse, including rolling stock, muckers and. the intricate water and power reticulation systems, are now being used on the Kaimai tunnel project. Other underground equipment is being used on the Poutu tunnel in the Tongariro power scheme. Out Of Wet The Government has tried to satisfy New Zealand demands for the equipment before considering of disposing of it overseas, but some of the bigger pieces of very specialised equipment are being stored out of the wet Fiordland conditions while overseas sales are being negotiated.