ARAPUNI.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18394, 30 July 1931, Page 8

ARAPUNI.

EXPERT’S REPORT. QUESTION OF FEES. CONCERN IN HOUSE. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. In the House of Representatives today, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister of Public Works, was asked to give the House particulars of the dealings between the government and Professor P. G. Hornell. The fees charged by the professor, in reporting upon the Waitaki and Arapuni hydro-electric schemes, were referred to by Mr R. Semple (Labour —Wellington East). “The Minister has stated that the professor discussed the Waitaki scheme with him," Mr Semple said, “ and adds that it was thought a detailed report was unnecessary. We are entitled to know what was in his report.” Mr Semple: I am informed that the professor was sent to Waitaki for the purpose of reporting and the Government paid his expenses. He then came back to Christchurch and wrote lo the Minister informing him that he was prepared to write a report if he were treated as liberally as we treated him in connection with Arapuni. In other words, lie wanted £3OOO or £4OOO before he started to speak. I understand we 'paid him £4OOO for a report that any layman—any ordinary engineer in New Zealand at any rate — could have prepared in half an hour. The surmise that Professor Hornell had been paid £4OOO for reporting upon Arapuni was confirmed later by tiie Minister of Public Works. He also said the professor wanted a similar sum to report fully upon Waitaki, but the Government had not agreed to this. Position at Waitaki. Mr Taverner said the Government did not arrange for an expert to report on Waitaki, as he had suggested. Professor Hornell visited the works early last October and had discussed certain aspects of the work and made certain suggestions of a highly . technical ‘nature relating to the modification of the drainage system of the dam area and extension of the cut-off wall. Professor Hornell said he was prepared to report on Waitaki fully at a similar fee to that paid him for the Arapuni investigation. Mr Semple: £4000? The. Minister:. Yes, he wanted £4OOO to report on Waitaki. Speaking later in the evening, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, said Mr Semple seemed greatly perturbed because Professor Hornell asked £4OOO for his report, but some years ago the Christchurch City. Council had paid £IO,OOO for a report, on the Waimakiriri power scheme. Professor Hornell was a man with great experience in hydro-electric work and had been taken away from his private business for many months. Mr Semple: Why would you not pay £IOOO for a report on Waitaki? Mr Forbes: The hon. member does not seem to realise that Waitaki Is different from Arapuni. I would remind him that Waitaki is in the South Island, and is not' in an area of volcanic rock. Mr Forbes added that, in obtaining its report on Arapuni the Government had secured the best talent available, and the report had given a measure of reassurance to the people in the vicinity.