“NOTHING KNOWN”

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 18764, 20 December 1935, Page 6

“NOTHING KNOWN”

FAULT AT ARAPUNI. NO OFFICIAL INFORMATION. POSITION UNDERSTOOD REMEDIED “ We know nothing about it.” Thus the engineer In charge of the Arapunl power station replied to the Waikato Times when enquiries were made this morning as to whether the fault whloh developed In the plant yesterday had been rectified. At the Hamilton offloe of the electrical department of the Publlo Works a reporter was told that there was no orie present with authority to make a statement. When the question was pursued futher It was stated that the responsible officer qualified to Inform the publlo regarding the position was out of town.

The veil of secrecy existing over the hydro-electric schemes since the earliest troubles were experienced at Arapunl appears to have been drawn tighter then ever before. Most comprehensive enquiries this morning failed to elicit any authoritative information.

However, it is understood that the fault in the plant was remedied last evening and that the full load was taken up again by Arapuni shortly after 9 L.m. Mr R. H- Bartley, general manager of the Auckland Power Board, stated this morning that it was understood in Auckland that the breakdown was due to a hot terminal on the face connection of one of the machines but after 12 hours’ work repairs were effected and the King’s Wharf station was closed down at 9.30 p.m. last night.

Mr Bartley added that the station in Auckland was prepared to meet any emergency and would be brought into use over the Christmas and New Year period.