ARAPUNI WORKS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19139, 24 October 1927, Page 6

ARAPUNI WORKS.

—♦ GOVERNMENT AND THE CONTRACTORS. "LITIGATION INEVITABLE." [THB 78888 Special Berrtct.] WELLINGTON, October 23. Although negotiations for a settlement of the difficulties surrounding the instruction of the power-house at frapnni have been going on for some time, a stage has been reached where, according to the view of the contractors Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth, Ltd.', litigation seems to be inevitable Strong exception to the remarks which were made by the engineer-in-cbief or the Public Works Department, Mr r. W. Furkert, in his annual report to j Parliament concerning the. Arapum i scheme was taken by Mr A. Whitley, chief representative of the contractors, in an interview to-day. "As negotiations have been going on with the Government for. some time, ire have, refrained from publicly discussing the situation at Arapuni, said Mr Whitley, "and wc regard it as • pity that Sir Furkert should mako 6uch statements as he has at the present time —the more so because they arc misleading and unfair. Mr Furkert has said the contractors have lately made substantial progress on No. 1 section of the contract, the construction of the dam, but to an impartial observer it must be apparent that having regard to the abnormal floods of tho past two years the progress with this work has been wonderfully good. "With regard to No. 2 section of the contract, which includes the powerhouse, Mr Furkert is perfectly well aware that the main cause of the delay has beon that the ground for the. foundations has been found to be wholly different from that which was contemplated and described in the specifications," Mr Whitley said. "The trouble mav be traced back to.the fact that the Commission which examined the foundations for the dam in 1921 did not see fit to examine the foundations for the power-house. Nevertheless it made a definite statement about the power-house foundations, as though it had examined them, in the specifications for the contract. The statement was made that under a layer of talus would be found rock of moderate hardness, but borings which have been made to a depth of 263 feet below river level over the whole of the site have failed to rev.aal rock of moderate of any degree of hardness. All that has been found is soft, tufaceous beds. The contractors feel that the ground disclosed is of such.a nature that they cannot'take the responsibility for its stability, and that the whole position is so different from that outlined in the specifica'tions as to make the constructions of the power-house a totally new preposition," continued Mr Whitley. "When the difficulties were discovered they, were brought to the notice of the Government, but the Government has considered them to be the contractors' responsibility, and has refused to meet us in any manner, or. even to discuss a rearrangement of the work, which the. contractors feel would be less insecure, much more expeditious, and much less costly. .■■',''' "The rearrangement of this section of the contract, as suggested by the contractors, provides, for. the construction of the control station'-'on"a site on the hillside, half way between the outdoor station on the'top of the hill and the power-house at the bottom, or roughly about fifty yards away Jrorn the power-house. It is stated, that there is solid ground available for/ the construction of the control station on the suggested site, and. that its erection there would mean that there would be less"' building" on the, weak ground. Itwould also 1 allow of 'the erection of the power-house nearer Ike cliff, and further away from the riverbed. ' •■ .'-■< ■

' ''Although this scheme has been placed before the, Government,' it has refused to give it any consideration, and has maintained that its' own idea is the better, one." Mr Whitley said. "The contractors have made every .possible offer in an endeavour, to.arrive at. ."a solution of the difficulties, but wiijioufc.success'. The contractors have don© their,'best to avoid litigation, butj -ihe' unfortunate : altitude which >the l Internment has adopted seems*to make litigation inevitable."