A HUGE FLOODGATE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4377, 13 February 1922, Page 2

A HUGE FLOODGATE.

LARGEST IN THE DISTRICT. WORKS IN NETHERTON AREA! Without either, upholding the policy of the Public Works Department, in , its drainage scheme of the Ohinemuri and Waihou rivers or disregarding; any complaints the farmers and other ratepayers may have against the sc,heme, a few details of a section of a large and important undertaking cannot be amiss, and perhaps will be appropriate, now that the report of the 1921 Commission has been presented to Parliament. ' In the Netherton area a work uf some magnitude is in progress. A drain is being dug from the Waihoii River along the boundaries of properties owned by Messrs Vowles and Goble, and thence on to the Awaiti Block; Af the point where this drain which is to he termed “drain H’’ joins the WaihoA River, a 'large. floodgate is being built. When completed, it will be the largest in the Waihou an l Ohinemuri drainage district. It will be a four-drum flood-gate, with four five feet openings. The width of con- ' crete will be 28ft and the 'length 80ft. Hitherto the largest wonk of this kind in the district has been a three drum flood-gate of smaller dimensions. Though no concrete work has yet been commenced on. this flood-gate, men have been engaged excavating the site.' The concrete portion of the undertaking is to be commenced early, this week. The metal and spawls arrived last week. The work was delayed during the recent floods, which on two occasions made work impossible, completely flooding the excavation. DRAIN H. Close to the flood-gate works is a steam driver Bucyrus dragline dredge engaged in digging drain H. From its compact engine room, pivoted on the huge “caterpillars.” the 40ft jib arid one yard bucket are manipulated with such extreme accuracy and dexterity that the dimensions of the drain are strictly adhered to and the sides very cleanly cut. The drain is being dug 9ft deep, with a 21ft ton and 15ft bottom. The drain is to run between the properties of Messrs Vowles and Goble, across the ■Netherton road, and on to the Awaiti Block.