NITRATES FROM AIR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 103, 3 May 1930, Page 9

NITRATES FROM AIR

PROJECT IN THE SOUTH ;OUTL4Y OF SEVEN MILLIONS I TUNNEL SEVEN MILES LONG (Special to “Chronicle.”) DUNEDIN, May 2. After spenuing uver seven weens at Doubtful fruund, on ’he west coi-»l ui Otago, carrying oat investigations fox the American company whicn is interested in rhe nitrates piojeet, Mr H. P. Gibbs vnd ins staff revalued to luvcci.irgili tins a,a k. -ur Gibbs' task at Doubtfu: Sound was to ascertain if sufiicient horsepower was available u< a reu onubiy iuw vest tor the hyd • > electir: scheme which is part and parcel of the process of lining tiiu nitrogen from the air. Althougn Air Gibbs is not in a posit.’on t 0 make public the information ! ■' bus gathered, there seems no doubt ALul he is satisfied that at Deep Cove ithe nitrates can be manufactured at a ! comparatively low cost. This being tic case, it is reasonable to assume that the vast undertaking will be proceeded with, and that a town of 4UOO it.bubitants will spr.ng up at Deep About £7,90!),60'.) will be involved i« the undertaking. In order to obtain .He necessary electricity, a scheme surpassing in m.igd.tuue anything yet atlempted in New Zealand will be undertaken. From the west arm of Alauapouri to Deep Cove, the most inland part of the sound, a tunnel 20ft. in diameter will be bored through solid rock. The length of the tunnel will be nearly seven miles, and in places it will be 4000 ft. under a mountain. The volume of vater passing through the tunnel will be almost equal to that

Mowing from Lake Alanapouri into the Waiau River; in fact, the tunnel will really form a new outlet for tho lake. The tunnel will end almost exactly above where power-house will be situated, a substantial drop giving a great head of water. The completion of the scheme will also include the forruination of good road from the head of Alanapouri to tho sound. The tunnel will take at least three years to make, but by the time it is completed all the works at the sound should be ready to operate. A member of Air Gibbs’ staff stated that all the field work had been carried out, and the company, if it desired. could go ahead with tho ordering of the machinery.