“Fantastic and Absurd”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 257, 30 October 1928, Page 7

“Fantastic and Absurd”

ALARMIST REPORTS ARAPUNI DAM HELD TO BE QUITE SAFE (Per Pre?*? Association.) AUCKLAND, Oct. 29. The alarmist statement made by Mr R. W. Holmes, formerly chief engineer of lhe Public Works Department, that the existence of the Arapnni dam constitutes a grave danger of calamity in the. Waikato valley through the structure collapsing, elicited a statement today by Mr F. \V. Furkert, enginneer-in-chief of the Public Works Department, who says that there, is absolutely no foundation in fact for Mr Holmes’ allegations. Events have proved Hint the original investigations by the engineers appointed for the purpose gave an absolutely true index of the material on the site of the works. Nothing has been disclosed that inidcates any necessity for alarm. “Mr Holmes’ statements,’’ he adds, “can only be characterised as fantastic and absurd.” ELECTION PROPAGANDA? "SOMEBODY WITH A GROUCH" [ Per Press Association. I AUCKLAND, Oct. 29. Referring to Arapuni and the a legations by Mr 1«. W. Holmes concerning the safety of the dam at a meeting tonight, by the lit. Hon. J. G. Coates, said the tactics uf sonic o* those opposed to the Government were not aliog<-ther fair. lie, referred io tin-, allegations because some people might heliox e they hud some foundation, it was perfectly clear that somebody with a grouch against the Government and the Public Works Department thought that by aunching the canard he could frighten the peop e in the Waikato and* make them think Arapuni would be tumbling about their cars in the morn-

lie then read, telegrams from Air F. W. Furkert, Engineer in Chief uf the Public Works Department, Mr James -Marchbanks, engineer to the Wellington Harbour Bonn.*, Dr. Henderson, director uf the, Geological Survey, and Dr. Marshal to show there was no ground for the allegations. Dr. Hen-

derson, in his sai«l: “Mr Holmes is not very ucfinite as to what is to cause the collapse at. Arapuni. While he was engineer in chief uc suggested the Waikato ha>! cut a gorge along an earthquake fracture. There is no geological cxideuce to support this supposition. The tunnel beneath the river, before it was diverted, pussitively proved there were, no earthquake rents at the dam site. The earthquake risk at Arapuni is no greater than in other parts of New Zealand outside the Rotorua-Taupo zone. The dam is of the gravity arch type, heavy enough to resist water pressure without support from the sides atid can collapse only after extensive undermining. The foundation rock is strong and insoluble. 1 do not believe extensive undermining can take p are. I inspected the foundation while the 6am was being built and I have the same opinion that the site is suitable, as I expressed when 1 signed the report of the commission.” The messages from Messrs Furkert and Marchbanks an<l Dr. Marshall were, also to the effect that the dam foundations were absolutely secure.

THREATENING LETTERS

WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS MINISTER’S DISCLOSURE f Per Press Association I DUNEDIN, Oct. 29. The. Arapnni dam scare was made a subject, of reference this evening by the Hon. W. Downio Stewart. He said that he, knew that, there were wheels within w’heels in the case. It was a strange thing that Mr Holmes had kept the. matter dark for so long a period, and had elected to make his sensational allegations at the present time. The real cause of the whole business was that there was a quarrel between the Holmes family and the Government. Some time ago a quarry site had been opened up by the Holmes family, who had formed a company to w-ork it. Shortly afterwards, hoxvexer, the. railway tariff had been revised, and as a result the company had suffered severe ly. Mr Holmes had approached Mr Stewart about the matter, but had been told that his was not the only company that, had boon affected by the change in the. tariff. Since then Mr Stewart had received letters threatening all sorts of disclosures if the Holmes grievance was not remedied, but it had been found that the writer (Mr Holmes’ son) was suffering from a severe illness. It was not known, however, to what extent Mr Holmes was in league with his son in the mat-

A short time ago Air Stewart had received a letter from Air Holmes stating that if tho long standing grievance was not remedied, he would publish a sensational article with respect to the Arapuni dam, Letters had also been received making the most broadcast accusations against the engineer-in-chief of -the Public Works Department (Air F. W. Furkett), but Mr Furkctt’s reputation was sufficiently well known to the electors and he (Mr Stewart) had no hesitation in asking them to suspend judgment until the full facts of the matter were investigated.