ARAPUNI DAM.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17554, 8 November 1928, Page 7

ARAPUNI DAM.

MR HOLMES IN REPLY. HIS ADVICE IGNORED. EARLY CONVICTIONS CONFIRMED. Mr R. W. Holmes, M.1.C.E., formerly Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, whose report on the Arapuni dam caused a considerable commotion a few days ago, sends us the following communication: —- ' '■' Will you kindly permit me to reply to the remarks which have been made with regard to my letter calling the attention of the public to the potential danger in connection with the very high dam which has lately been constructed by the Government across the Waikato River at Arapuni. " Mr Furkert, .the gentleman who is solely responsible for the stability of the dam as he was in charge of the construction and passing of the foun- , dation when excavated has remarked ' that I am getting very old, (this is not the first time he has made such a statement), and have forgotten the circumstances in connection with the dam. I may be, as we all are, getting old, but I am not yet 75 years of age (by several years) as stated in the Auckland Sun of the 27th ultimo, and I have not yet forgotten the facts upon which my opinions 17 years*ago were based, when I rejected all idea of Arapuni as a dam site, and again in 1917 when I strongly advised the Chief Electrical Engineer to abandon Arapuni as a practical site for a high dam. This advice was given verbally and in writing. My opinion of the potential danger of the undertaking has been known to many of the public for years past, some of whom reside in the area threatened with disaster.. . Nothing Known Of The Foundations. On September 28 last same information came to hand which conflrmfki my previously-formed opinion of the country which placed the safety of the works in suoh a perilous plight that I requested by son to immediately inform Mr Downie Stewart of the position, which was done within half an hour, and confirmed next day in writing, this relieved me of all responsibility by placing it upon the shoulders of the Government. Then, as no action was taken towards an investigation of the condition of the dam I determined to publish the letter which 1 wrote. " The time and manner of its publication has nothing to do with the question of the safety of the dam. btatements have appeared in the papers savquring of personal attacks and stating definitely that the dam is quite safe, it seems strange that the responsible Government for a country like New Zealand should have to descend to making personal attacks on a fully qualified engineer who publishes his opinion of the unsoundness of one of its undertakings and on being warned go to the men responsible for the construction of the dam and ask them If their advice is any good or not. Thpy would be the last people in the world to say things were not as they should be; they would naturally gamble on the works standing until f.hcy were well clear of them. " Judging from the information to hand it appears that nothing is known of what the foundations under the dam are like a foot or two below the concrete work. In counry like this when intending to construct a dam 200 ft. high bores should have been put down at least 300 ft. or until sound rock, not breccia, was encountered and proved. if the Government has the necessary information why was it published on September 29, the day after the warning was given.

Silt Below Power House. It has been found by a bore over 200 feet deep that only sand and silt exists under the power house. Note the following question from the contract specification:—. "The rook at the site of the power house is a tufa, of volcanic ' origin and of moderate hardness, hut may include soft layers or pockets." "Any country containing even a suggestion of soft layers cannot possibly be accepted by experienced engineers as safe country in which to construct a dam 200 feet in height. This is not an ordinary dam as usually understood by the general public, but is classed amongst the highest dams in the world, therefore, everything about it must be abqve suspicion. "Perhaps the public thinks the dam if. only as long as the concrete work across the gorge, about 300 feet, but owing, to the shattered character of the country, and the present flood and overflow channels being situated along the top of the cliff, a short distance from the edge, it must be considered as being over 5000 feet in length, over which distance it may fail anywhere.

Shpyld Not Have Been Constructed. "No undertaking of the vastness of the Arapuni dam, contructcd and containing so much potential danger, should be constructed on a river above an area of country so extensive, or that contains such a large population as the lower Waikato, and most decidedly not by a Government, the members of which are elected and paid by the people to protect them. "Whep the foundations were ready for building upon, the passing of them as being fit should not have been left to one engineer as in this case,' a perfectly independent engineer should , have been called in as a consultant, preferably one from outside this Dominion —subordinate engineers in the Public Works Department should not act as consultants —for very obvious reasons. "In conclusion, I wish to mention that no amount of statements by engineers and others are of any avail unless supported by absolute proof, Such proof is not in existence at the present time. In every newspaper which comes under my perusal I expect to read news of some accident to the dam or contingent works, if not of a tremendous disaster."