Big Overseas Contract For N.Z. Company

Chronicle (Levin), 11 August 1949, Page 3

Big Overseas Contract For N.Z. Company

Competing against Dutcli, English and American companies, Mr. -V. R. Gravestock, managing - director of Earthworks Ltd., Palmerston North, has been let a contract for £250,000 by the Victorian State Government for the construetion of a gigantic irrigation i cliannel on the Goulburn Eiver, 19 miles from Melbourne. T^iia will be just the forerunner to an extensivo irrigation development seheme estimated to cost about £10', 000, 000, to be entered upon by the State Government. With a specially-selected stafE and their families, Mr. Gravestock will be leaving for Australia sliortly aiid it is hoped opevations will begiii before Christmas. The project is CXpect'Cd to take two years to complete. Mr. Gravestock 's company has' £70,000 worth of plant on order. Much of this will be made in Australia but Bome will be ■ imported from Great Britain and is expected to reach AusIniila by the time all is in readines to begin. In an interview with "The Times" last night, Mr. Gravestock stated that he believed he had been able to lodge a tender loweg than those of any of the international companies because hiS travelling and sliipping costs would not be ro large and because New Zealand men probably were more familiar with operating the plant that would be needed. "New Zealand is probably the most plant -minded country in the world, " he said. "Before the war praetitifilly no Australians had seen a bfilld02:ef . ) ' He recounted that on a receftt visit to Australia he had seen horse-dTawii scoops working on the ptdject. Tender Lodged OptimiSti'cally Mr. Gravestock first became interest; ed in the irrigatiohal pfoject wilftii ah advertisement for tendevs in ttiercantile' publication was referned to hittt by one of his employees. Ab'out that time he was preparing for a. holidhy trip to Australia and left New Zealand with the intention of making fiirther inquiries. In Australia he Teceived considerable assistance from some New Zealand engineers working over there and lodged his tender on a note of optimism. A month ago he received advice that his tender had been accepted and he immediately began the arduous task of making preparations. He has now in his employ 26 handpicked men who will make the trip across the Tasman with him. His engineer will be Mr. L. E. Dalqy, at present assistant engineer to the Manawatu Catchment Board, and Mr. W. D. Marshall (Levin) will be his. assistantcngineer. In addition, his employees will take their families with them and the full partv is expected to number about 70. The company will charter a special plane which Will leave from Ohakea in November, and arrangements have been made in Austraila for them to be housed in a wui'time prisoner-of-war camp at Murchison. The camp is equipped with all facilities afid in addition to the company's all-New Zealand staff, will probably accommodate personnel of , the Victorian State Rivers Commission. Five Years' Work Likely The first step of the Victorian State Government 's project, the contract for which has been let to Mr. Gravestock 's company, is for the construetion of an irrigation channel 8J miles- long, the width at the boottom to be 48 feet, and at the top about 84 feet. The average depth will be about 20 feet. However, when this work is completed, Mr. Gravestock is optimistic that he will be able to seeure a furtheT contract for about another £50,000. If he is suecessful in these negotiations, he antieipated that his company will be working on the project for about five years. It is intended to establish another company in Australia with a capital of at least £250,000 and this Will be operated as well as the New Zealand company. Prior to this contract, Mr. Gravestock 's biggest undertaking in New Zealand was the construetion of some of the runways at Ohakea. Originally an employ ee of the Lower Hutt Borough Council, he branch'ed but iil the eontraeting business on Kis oWb account in 1937. A little later he. founded a company and in 193-9 was let the contract for the construetion of ^the deviation from Lambton Quay to Tinakori Road, Wellington, for the Wellington City Council. He also contraetefi for the construetion of the Manakau overhead bridge and later was eontraeting in tlie Eketahuna County, at Dannevirke and in New Plymouth,. He has lived in Palmerston North for tfie last 10 years. The employees who travel to Australia will not be going on any holiday cruise. Mr. Gravestock has formulated a scheme whereby eaeh will work a 72-hour six-day week for three weeks, followed by a week's respite. He contends that this week's holiday will give his men a better opportunity to go away for a worthwhile holiday on full pay than tliey would have if they worked a five-day week with tKe weekends free. His staff will be organised in sueh a way that when one employee is on holiday there will be another to take his place so that there will be no plant lying idle. Mr. Gravestock leaves for Australia in October.