KAWARAU DAM GATES

Evening Star, Issue 19784, 7 February 1928, Page 7

KAWARAU DAM GATES

NO IMMEDIATE CLOSING RIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENT COMPANY No immediate closing of the Kawarau dam gates will take place. The directors of the parent company met last night and thoroughly investigated the whole position, ultimately reaching a decision that, under the binding clauses of the original contract, they were unable to close the gates. One of the conditions of the license is that the Kawarau Gold Mininig Company will permit the Cromwell Development Company, whoso weir is placed across the river at the entrance to the gorge, to obtain for its immediate use 660 heads of water in its existing water race. Although the river is extremely low at the present time, the water continues to flow into the race. If the gates at Frankton were lowered no water could possibly enter the race and be pumped over the district for irrigation purposes. In view of that condition, it is impossible for the Kawarau Company to dose the gates at the present time. If, however, the present dry season continues, and the river falls to such an extent that no water enters the Development Company’s race, the weir becomes ineffective as a source of supply for the race, and consequently the Development Company’s rights could not be »affected by lowering the river still further through the closing of the gates. The Kawarau Company has ashed Mr Stewart Wright, of Cromwell, to immediately advise if, through a continuance of the present conditions, the river falls below the level of the race intake. Tf such a report is received, the company will again be in a position to consider the closing of the gates.