MORE REASSURING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21086, 12 July 1938, Page 4

MORE REASSURING

POSITION AT LAKE COLERIDGE By TelPtrraph Pres? Association CHRISTCHURCH. July 11 A reassuring statement concerning the threat to the Lake Coleridge Power Station, which has developed through the discovery of a leak in the adit tunnel, was made to-day by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple). “I am not now as afraid as I was at first, and it is evident that the danger is not quite as great as was feared,” said the Minister. The leak had been watched day and night during the last three weeks, said Mr Semple, and it has neither increased in volume, nor shown any signs of discolouration. There appeared to be no immediate cause for alarm. The Minister explained that a thorough investigation of the trouble could not be made while the lake was at its present abnormally high level. The height of the lake had resulted in all the surrounding country being saturated with water. This meant severe pressure on the tunnel from the outside. While the tunnel was full, the pressure of water on the inside ‘balanced that from the outside. In these circumstances to empty the tunnel would be to invite disaster. Mr Semple announced that it would be possible to install two additional units which would double the output of the Waitaki Hydro-Electric Works, sooner than was expected. Advice had been received from the New’ Zealand representatives of the British manufacturers that the machinery could be on hand three months earlier than the contract had stipulated. No time would be lost in installing these two 15,000 kilowatt units. The increase in the capacity of Waitaki represented the greatest measure of safety in the event of anything going wrong at Lake Coleridge. The two new units at Waitaki were intended to augment the supply in Southland, but that power could be used in Christchurch if necessary, and if the worst came to the worst, Southland could carry on as at present.