ARAPUNI TROUBLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 16 June 1930, Page 4

ARAPUNI TROUBLE

DEMAND FOR INQUIRY

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

HAMILTON, 14th June. Until further expense is justified by expert opinion other than the Public Works Department, • nothing further should be done at the Arapuni hydroelectric scheme, according to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. The following resolution was passed by the ' chamber last evening: "Having regard , to the facts that the Arapuni scheme has already absorbed three millions, that a further heavy outlay of unspecified amount is contemplated, that the confident anticipations of the Public Works g Department seem likely to be defeated by the course of events, it is not certain that further capital expenditure is iusti- • fied. ' This executive is unanimously .of opinion that the Government should im- ; : .i mediately appoint a commission consist- , ing of a Judge of the "Supreme Court and two independent engineering authorities in this class of work for the purpose of inquiring into every aspect of the scheme and reporting on the course which should *■ be followed in dealing with the present . trouble."

NO LIGHT ON CAUSE , AUCKLAND, This Day. "The whole thing is mysterious, and so far has defied all attempts td ascertain the cause," is how Mr F. W. Furkert, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, described the recent earth movement at Arapuni. Investigations have 1 proceeded during the whole of the past week, but so far nothing of a na-, tureJikely to assist the officers of the Department to find the cause of the movement has been discovered.