ACTIVITY AT ARAPUNI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20779, 23 January 1931, Page 12

ACTIVITY AT ARAPUNI.

INCREASES IN STAFF.

400 MEN ENGAGED.

OPERATIONS IN HEADRACE. PREPARATORY WORK AT FALLS. [B7 TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] L HAMILTON. Thursday. Considerable changes have been effected Bfc Arapuni in the past month and the place has again assumed the animated appearance which characterised it during the building of the hydro electric works. Tho staff has been more than doubled in the past fortnight by the transfer of men from railway works at Gisborne, Northern Wairoa and Okaihau. 1 here are now 400 men employed and a system of continuous work was commenced today. The men are divided into three sections, each section being employed on a shift of eight hours. Flood lights have been erected at various points to illuminate the areas which are being excavated. The Minister's ban of silence is still imposed on the engineers in charge, and while newspaper representatives are offered no obstacle in viewing, tho work, no questions can be answered and no information can be given. Professor Hornell's Proposals. Practically all the men employed are carrying out the • recommendations embodied in Professor P. G. Hornell's report, and are concentrating on that part of the works extending from a point a short distance upstream from tho dam, along the headrace to tho falls. The'overhanging stone at the entrance to tho by-pass tunnel is being removed by means of explosives and picks. On the western, or opposite, side of the river is a tip where spoil from the headrace is being emptied into tho river channel, where tho old temporary dam was laid. The area between the tunnel entrance and the large concrete dam is being filled up. Tho headrace presents a scene of activity. A large number of men are cmployed in widening and straightening this waterway, which is now practically dry. Several horse-drawn scoops, a mechanical "navvy," a tractor, and two .locomotives running on light rails, are also employed in the headrace. Unstable Country Removed. An extensive portion of unstable country has been cut away in the forebay below the falls,, and the walls of tho forebay have been smoothed in preparation for concreting.- The course of the falls has not yet been touched. Included in the plant recently put into operation at the falls are two light locomotives running on rails, two concrete mixers, air compressors, and a heavy crane. A cableway across the forebay was erected last year but has not yet been put into uso. The employment of many additional men during the past fortnight has involved the provision of increased accommodation. Up to date 100 tents, furnished with wooden floors, iron chimneys and partly weatherboarded walls, have

been erected. Each contains two beds. An area of five acres has been leased by the department, fenced, cleared and

roaded, to provide sites for hundreds of tents and huts. The latter are being • brought in sections from the sites of various railway works which have been stopped. The indications are that the population of Arapuni will be further increased by hundreds of workmen. Private enterprise has been active, and several buildings are in course of erection in which various businesses will be conducted. Tho department has also erected several small buildings in the vicinity of the transformer station for the use of overseers, timekeepers and other members of the field staff. Parts of the No. 4 turbine have arrived at Arapuni, and other parts are stored at Putaruru. A special trailer is being made* to carry the heavy machinery from Putaruru to Arapuni. EMPLOYMENT OF CARPENTERS. "COMPLEMENT NOW FULL." [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] HAMILTON, Thursday. In reply to representations made to the Minister of Public Works, Hon. W. B. 'iaverner, regarding work at Arapuni for unemployed carpenters at Hamilton, Mr. J. A. Young, M.P., lias received the following telegram : "Carpenters 1 have been engaged at Arapuni from time to time as required, but so far as I am aware there are not a great many required on the staff in connection with the present operations. The complement at Arapuni is now full, but Should further carpenters be needed I shall bo glad to arrange for Hamilton men to receive consideration, and I have so instructed my department. "In view of the unemployment situation generally at Hamilton I am communicating the text of your telegram to the Unemployment Board at Wellington."