ARAPUNI DAM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16826, 13 December 1928, Page 7

ARAPUNI DAM

INVESTIGATION ASKED FOE The sensational story with reference to the safety of the Arapuni hydro-elec-tric scheme, which gained wide currency during the election campaign, was the subject of two questions in the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. .1. A. Young gave notice to ask the Minister of Public Works whether, in order to allay the anxiety of residents, particularly ifi the towns and country districts adjacent to the Waikato River, he would authorise an immediate and exhaustive public statement concerning the reports bearing on the stability of the rock formation and the foundations at the dam and power-house sites. A little later, Mr it. Semple was given permission to ask a question without notice, and he made an inquiry on somewhat similar lines to Mr Young's notice, with the additional suggestion that the Minister.should cause an inquiry to ho made by eminent outside engineers. Mr. Young, no doubt feeling that his ground was being cut from under him, raised a point of order, but was satisfied with the assUrance that his position as the local member was being safeguarded. 'Die Hon. E. A. Ransom replied that he proposed to have a thorough investigation made of the criticism, and of the points that had been made in reply to' that criticism. If it seemed to him that an inquiry was then warranted, he would place the matter before Cabinet, with a recommendation to that effect.