OTAKI RIVER DRAGLINE

Chronicle (Levin), 18 October 1946, Page 2

OTAKI RIVER DRAGLINE

SOON TO BE IN OPERATION "I am satisfied these machines will be a blessing to the couiitry just as the bulldozers were," said the Minister of Works • (Mr. Semple) in a statement made in Wellington this week after the trial run on Monday last of one of the big drag-line machines on the Otaki River. "There is no possible chance of clearing the mouths of our rivers that have been cloggirig up for years unless you have a machine of this kind.- These machines are able to drag through the river where human beings are. unable to go, and where the bulldozer would be useless." Mr. Semple said it was his intention to arrange a public demonstration of the machine on the Otaki River, where a big job was to be done, and the date of the demonstration would probably be announced within the next week or two. There had been much criticism regarding the purchase of the drag-line machines that was just simply stupid, added Mr. Semple. "They were bought during the war," he continued, "because we realised that we had to tackle this river problem to save our country for the children. Millions of cubic yards of vital soil has been washed into the sea every year. We cannot allow that to continue. The use of these machines is an honest-to-God effort to try and stop it." Mr. Semple said that in addition to the machine to operate on the Otaki River, it was intended to send another machine to the Orari River in South Canterbury. That, he said, was a dangerous river, and had caused a great deal of damage through flooding. It was proposed to send the third machine to operate in Lakes Forsythe and Ellesmere to remove the risk of flooding there and make available land for agricultural purposes. Rewinding of Wiring There had been some comment about the machine on the Otaki River lying there for so long without being used. The reason for that was that the machines had been bought from the United States and the electrical gear was not wound to suit New Zealand current. That portion of the equipment accordingly had to be left oehind to be rewound. The machines, weighing 250 tons, were shipped to New Zealand. Due to the shortage of power in the North Island it was considered inadvisable ,to operate thq,.w^fiWpe?„^A'otn/.the power supply lines, and because of the fact that the machines might be used later far away from power lines wnere there was any breakdown station it was decided to purchase Diesel engines so that power for the machines could be developed on the spot. The order ror the Diesel plant was piaced months ago, but because of strikes in the United States and lack of shipping there was considerable delay before they arrived here. The power plants had now been installed. They generated 60U horsepower ar 3u0 volts, which was oransformed into direct current. Referring to. the capaeity of the drag-line machines, Mr. Semple saia that one operating on a canal in the United States was shifting i,00U, U0O cubic yards of material in six months. In shingle rivers in New Zealand it was escimated that the machines working three shiios a day would each be capable oi handling 1,000,000 cubic yards a year. When the bulldozers had been imported they had been criticised, said Mr. Semple. "But heaven kiiows what we would have done without them in the peace years or during the war," he added. He was satisfied that the drag-line plant would be of equal benefit to the Dominion. A Huge Bucket Mr. Semple paid tribute to the way the machines had been assembled and to the way the men had learned to ooerate them, even i/hough they had haa no previous expenence of that type of plant. Tne machines had a 1000ft. span, a turret 130ft. high, and the hu'ge bucket held 18 tons oi shingle. . Tne operafcor was 30ft. from the ground. "Considering the power of the machine and its general mechanical complexities the boys associated with it have done a wonderful job learning to handle it without an instructor," said Mr. Semnle. "The condition of the machine I saw yesterday is almost as good as new and is running well."