IMPORTANT MINING AND INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1929, Page 6

IMPORTANT MINING AND INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE

POWER AND DREDGING DEVELOPMENTS.

The district will receive a great impetus from the enterprise of the combined companies operating in respect to the electric power dredging at South Hokitika. Both the Kanieri Electric Ltd. and the Rimu Gold Dredging Company, have resolved on an extensive scheme which will ensure a greatly prolonged life for the'" dredging-. of Rimu Flat where the Company lias now been . operating successfully for a number of years past.

The proposals, briefly, are to develop more power from Lake -Kanieri, and utilise the product for extra light and energy, the latter to be utilised in the first instance on the dredge, which is to have a new steel hull and be reconditioned generally. A considerable undertaking, involving a large expenditure, is, to.be,i'aced, some particulars of which have been gleaned by a “Guardian” representative from ,Mr W. J. Radford, the Manager of the Companies.

In respect to the power scheme, new plant to develop 1,000 kilowatts. is to be built in the first instance. The location otf this plant will be near Lake Kanieri road close to McKay’s creek crossing. The water for the power is to be lifted from the Kanieri-river:,near Johnston's flume from a •dam site'. It will be conducted by a race line to be built, which will involve in-the first instance a tunnel of 3,600 feet into the Left-hand branch .of the Kanieri riter near Kennedy’s. Thence by. another tunnel of 3,200 feet to McKay’s Creek, and 'from the tunnel, the water will be carried by 'a pipe line to the power plant. This -will .‘be the. new No. 1 plant. A No. 2 plant of 600 kilowatts capacity is to be installed later at Johnston’s flume, using the water from the present Lake Kanieri water race, and which after use, will then be available for utilisation in connection with the No. 1 plant. Meantime the existing hydro plant at Kanieri Forks, as also the auxiliary fuel-driven plant at Hokitika, will be maintained as heretofore, but ultimately will be superseded by the two new plants above referred to. There is considerable cost involved in the two hydro plants mentioned above, both in respect to labour required for'construction and material ■ for the power,-lines. : and, .power, stations. The cost of, the outlay involved is estimated at £30,00u. : Work' will be starting immediately, all preliminary’ work having b&fen completed, and the matter will .be advanced with all expedition. . In respect to the dredge on Rimu Flat, which'* hris been operating with very little interruption over several years,« ; it' isc: proposed to build an allsteel hull to carry the dredging plant. .The superstructure .will hek enlarged,’ stdel' being used fhro'ughbut, while, there, will be considerable new machinery, and finally a greatly improved boat. It is expected that the result will be facilities to increase materially 1 the daily yardage of ground handled, increasing revenue correspondingly. A start will be made right 'away,.to build the;, dredge. All material'possible will be bought in New Zealand and all work done here by the constructing firm. That it will be of a‘ substantial nature is evidenceed by the fact that the estimated cost of reconstructing the dredge as proposed will absorb fully £45,000. It will be seen from the foregoing that the enterprise now being entered upon is of such a substantial character as to instil the feeling of solidarity as to the future of the concern. It is recognised that there are fully 20 years’ profitable work ahead of the dredges alone, to work their way up Rimu Flat. This task will, entail some adjustment of Adairs road which runs directly through the areas to be worked by the Company. Overtures are now being made with the County Council for a working arrangement whereby the road will be reconstructed as dredging proceeds with very little inconvenience to the travelling public. Doubtless as heretofore the local body will afford all possible assistance to proceed with the undertaking, being sure that the company for its part will do all that is promised in the matter. The complete proposals might well, be a source of much gratification locally for it will ensure not only an extended life to an important branch of the mining industry, but also the establishment' of a source of power, which once established and efficiently maintained will be an asset for the district always. The undertakings in operation in the. ordinary course employ a large amount of labour, and are of industrial value to the district in the enlarged tform now proposed, the works will have an enhanced local value tending to. the maintenance of a steady degree of prosperity. - There is always the possibility that encouraged by the magnitude of the present, very profitable mining operations, similar ventures are not unlikely. In any case the new works add to the permanency of a very large undertaking, arid one that must do a great deal to assist in shaping the destiny of Hokitika and the surrounding district. There is thus every cause to wish the expansion the greatest success and the speedy realisation of the highest hopes of the promoters.