RUMOURS DENIED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 1 March 1939, Page 6

RUMOURS DENIED

CONDITIONS AT ARAPUNI NO LEAKAGE AT DAM (United Press Association! AUCKLAND. This Day. The facts that no water has been discharged over the Arapuni spillway for three weeks and that the level of the lake has fallen below what has been regarded as normal have given rise to alarmist rumours that serious leaks have developed around the dam and headrace, one story being to the effect that there had been an intensive search to locate them, the workmen using colour to assist them. These rumours are groudless. The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, said last night that nothing untoward had occurred at Arapuni. For the past two or three weeks the level of the water on the average had been from a foot to 18in below normal. There had been days when the drop was greater, but at week-ends, when consumption of power fell, the storage of water had increased. The drop in the lake level, he said, was accounted for entirely by the period of dry weather which had been a common experience over the whole of the North Island, and by the increased amount of water going through the power house, where a fifth generator was in operation this summer. He could give his definite assurance that no leakage had developed and that there would be ample water to run the station to the limit of demand, no matter how long the dry spell lasted. Lake Taupo could be regarded as an unfailing reservoir for the Waikato.