Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 18 October 1930, Page 4

Thu report on Arapuiii by Professor J\ 6. Horn ell might have been worse! Readers will remember that on 7th June owing to “certain earth movements’’ (as the Public Works Statement had it) these hydro-electric Works went Oltt Of action, a lid ia ’\ e been dosed down. Am eminent Swedish engineer Was called in to repoi oil the position, there was Some suggestion ill the on fly stages that Aramini would have to he abandoned, but the engineering advice is not in that direction. There is hope that the situation will bs saved and though the cost will be over half a million sterling that is better than abandonment. There has been an enormous evtpei diituro on these nydro-Rkc-i , works. Coleridge, despite, being outworked ol late, and the electricitv being seriously dislocated, has .prouxl a P-opcstiom According to the Vxr.ho Works, Sl‘.te- ; Coleridge power -terpiuse has cost £1.022,1'J9, and last year <t g.ue “net WOW of Vn.383. Ti* *•» ,I,ls rear will not 'be so good or, ms L, the 1«. of revenue, but under normal amditiont it should llo,u ' „thanks to the comparatively low capital cost. This last statement "•« he letter understood when l » ® the two major *- » “j^ Wni . Island are quoted. Manga creme,.» I« cost to elate, bMW c,nl and last year showed a loss ciorn The cost of the Arapam- £ T ° ’f works have been £3,660,Horahora uoiKe. -po 407 ami last year’s loss was **,•«• ThpWtnigc costs of installation are MSr Wo three major works to have cost upward'’e,MnMro^"‘r'” '" llle ' “'“"f l„ bc mado very costly, and evulently will not’be any more profitable than the railways are. Their service vc ue is the chief recompense, hut this mil mean a heavy burden for cost, and of course all the main schemes are far from completed, for money is still being poured out in. the completion of tile Waitaki scheme. Professor Hornell takes a light view of the situation of Arapuni. He excuses the officials in one part of taking a justifiable risk, but the risk is a costly piece of business for the country. It is not comforting to note an error of this nature so glossed over. Risks no doulbt are worth taking when matters solve themselves, but when there is not the happy issue, they are mistakes, and someone is bltuneable for i,]io neglect. In view of the large sum involved in the restoration of Ar sip uni, it will he many months before the igrosit works can he in useful action .again, and in addition to the repairs, the country must foot a bill of many thousands for stand-by plants. The whole business is going’, t ( , be a \erv costly affair, and there will be always a fear for the future. New Zealand has evidently moved too fast with this huge business, and slower ri’Wl.hodM might- pvbll prevail for the future.