EROSION AT ARAPUNI

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 803, 25 October 1929, Page 13

EROSION AT ARAPUNI

GOVERNMENT’S ACTION NEW TUNNEL DRIVING THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter ' PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. The determination of the Government to rectify the erosion menace at Arapuni is expressed by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, who presented his annual statement to Parliament this morning. “It is a source of satisfaction to the Government that its officers have been able to demonstrate that the claim made by the contractors that it was impossible to erect a power-house on its present site had no foundation in fact.,” the Minister said. “In connection with this development, however, I regret to say a very extensive erosion—much more rapid than was anticipated—has manifested itself in the old bed of the Waikato River below the spillway over which the surplus water escapes. “The position has been aggravated by the fact that owing to the contractors abandoning the contract, the channel has been subjected since the end of 1927 to flows of water which were not anticipated, and which would have been considerably mitigated had the power-house been in full operation, taking a large amount of water which otherwise has had to go over the spillway. As a consequence protective measures must be taken, and this work is being energetically handled. “The driving is proceeding of two additional penstock tunnels, which are part of the subsequent development of the scheme, and which will be available when, through growth of load, the time arrives for the installation of additional generating machinery. “It is estimated that these two tunnels, together with the other four of the present development, will be capable of taking the normal flow of the river, and any additional flow, in all but extreme floods, can be diverted through the existing bypass tunnel round the dam.

During the year the expenditure on hydro-electric works under the department was £943,507, increasing the total capital spent on hydro-electric works from £7,523,928 to £5,467,735. A large portion of this—about £2,000,000 —is represented by works, mainly at Arapuni, which had not a't ■the end of the year come into operation, but which will gradually come in during the present year. The total revenue for the year shows an increase of 12.8 per cent, over that for last year, being now £516,127, as against £457,369 for the previous year.

There was an expenditure of £431,981 in connection with Arapuni during the year, of which £163,148 is in connection with the headworks and power-station, £86,669 in connection with substations in various places, and £143,469 represents interest and capital charges on portions of the scheme not in operation.