ARAPUNI WORKS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 306, 29 November 1927, Page 2

ARAPUNI WORKS

RIVER AGAIN LOWERED. POWER BOARD MEMBERS’ VISIT. The members of the Waitemata Power Board were this week shown over the hydro-electric works in course of construction at Arapuni by the camp commandant, Mr H. D. Williamson. Tho party was joined by Mr N. G. McLeod, engineer to the Thames Valley Power Board. ' Messrs Furket and Kissell, representing the Public Works Department, also paid an official inspection during the day, and were in consultation with the representatives of"“the contractors. The visitors, „ who were entertained at luncheon by the representatives of the Sir W. G. Armstrong and "Whitworth Company, were privileged during the afternoon to witness the entire mastery of the great "Waikato waterway. At 2 p.m. the gates of the diversion' tunnel were closed, and the members of the Power Board watched the effect. from the suspension bridge, 500 ft. long, spanning the river above the powerhouse site. The normal width of the river below was from 70ft. to 80ft. In 25 minutes the level of the river had been lowered 22ft., and at this point the width of running water had narrowed to about 20ft., and the great waterway was reduced to a stream disclosing gigantic boulders and gravel! beds previously covered by a swiftlymoving body of water. At 2.25 . p.m. | the gates of the diversion tunnel were j again opened, and the river rapidly re-; covered its level, submerging the rocks and objects which half-an-hour previ-1 ously had been revealed in the riverbed. At 2.50 P.m. the river had attained its usual height. The Power Board members and other visitors were greatly impressed with the spectacle and of the victory achieved by the engineer over the forces of Nature (says ah exchange).