ARAPUNI MISHAP

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 June 1930, Page 7

ARAPUNI MISHAP

CHIEF ENGINEER MYSTIFIED.

[pee press association.]

HAMILTON, June 14.

Thu whole thing is mysterious, and so far it has defeated all attempts to ascertain the cause. This is how Mr F. AV. Fnrkert f Chief Government Engineer, described the recent earth movement at Arapuni. Investigations have proceeded during the whole of the past week, but so far nothing of a nature likely to assist the officers of the Department has been discovered. A tunnel being driven below the crack on the lower side of the spillway, has pierced the earth for a distance of 50 feet, and has passed beneath the first fissure. It is now on the way to the second crack, which is about 25 feet further in. Unfortunately the operations so far have produced little information of any value'. It has been revealed that the first crack is quite vertical, and does not, as first hoped, indicate which way the tilt of the earth has been. Il was with a view to ascertaining the angle of the movement, in order to know where to attack the pressure, that the tunnelling was undertaken. The tunnelling operations are not, as suggested in certain newspapers, of a dangerous nature. There is little, if any, danger whatever attached to them. There has been no movement recorded since the main crack was first discovered last Saturday. If anything, the fissures have had a tightening tendency. A large hopper has been erected alongside the Falls on Arapui in preparation for concreting work which was decided upon some time ago at the falls themselves. This work will be hurried on with a large gang of men who at present are engaged in the excavation of a tramway road at the low level between the spillway and the falls. The water in the big hike has been reduced by 18 feet, and is going down at the rate of 21 inches per hour. The gates have been opened to a height of ever seven feet, and they will be progressively lifted as the water in the lake falls. The rush of the water down the bed of the old stream, between the dam and the power house, which hitherto had been dry, is now lappingover the platform which forms the power house base. This flow has put a stop to excavation work that was taking place at the base of the new Penstock tunnels, where a large gang of men were engaged. As a result the married men on tjie job have been transferred to other undertakings, while between 60 and 100 single men have been put off.

earth tremors?

HAMILTON. June 14.

Whilo sitting at lunch at the Government Hostel about one o’clock today, various members of the Public Works staff, including Mr F. W. Furkert, Chief Government Engineer, remarked about what appeared to be earth tremors. The comment was general amongst the diners that the shake, if it can be defined as such, was only momentary.