POWER SCHEMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27541, 8 November 1950, Page 6

POWER SCHEMES

Contract Let To Auckland Company MANUFACTURE OF CASINGS PA AUCKLAND. Nov. 7. Canadian dollars worth £65,000-will be saved by a contract let to an Auckland engineering firm for the fabrication of.plate steel casings. These will be used to contain the hydraulic turbines at the Roxburgh hydro and Whakamaru electric schemes. The Dominion Engineering Company of Canada, successful bidders of a State Hydro-electric Department contract of nearly 2,000,000 dollars for the turbines, has given a sub-contract to Mason Brothers’ Engineering Company, Ltd., for the casings. “To save dollars, all the work possible will be done in New Zealand,” said Mr J. C. McKean, the company’s representative, who has come to New Zealand to discuss the contract with Government officials. Another small contract has been let to a Christchurch firm. The iDominion Engineering Company will supply four turbines, each of 56,000 horsepower. for the Roxburgh scheme and four 35,000 horse-power units for Whakamaru. The first for Roxburgh will reach Auckland in July, 1952, and that for Whakamaru a month later. The rest for both projects will follow at intervals of three months. The supply of steel is a major problem. Broken Hill, Australia, cannot supply the 600 tons needed. . A British firm will supply it, but the delivery date is six months too late. The Government is trying to speed delivery. Whakamaru is on the Waikato River.