HIKUTAIA QUARRY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4921, 4 January 1926, Page 1

HIKUTAIA QUARRY.

CRUSHER UNSATISFACTORY.

NUMEROUS BREAKAGES OCCUR.

Since its removal from the Hikutaia Stream metal deposit to the quarry the Plains County Council s metal crusher has not been working satisfactorily. The breakage of parts of the crusher has been, almost a daily occurrence, except .that when a part breaks several days elapse before it is repaired or replaced and the plant can be put into action again. At 1 the last meeting of the council the engineer reported that everything .that could break, with the exception of the main frame, and he did not expect any of the new parts ,to fail. This has since proved an optimistic hope, and the mystery as to what is causing the breakages has deepened. A crusher comprises a main frame, a shaft and fly-wheel, and three or four reciprocating parts. The causes of the failures so far have been stated to have been discovered and remedied, but others have seemed to develop. The crushing contractor, Mr Julian, states that he has had a lifetime of experience with crushers, and nevei before has he had such a bad run. One day last week the shaft became twisted, it was taken to Thames and repaired, and four hours later it was again in need of repair. The county engineer and the mechanics of a Thames firm have practically lived at the crusher, and frequent visits have been made by the members of the council. On Tuesday of last week five councillors visited the quarry after the special, meeting. The shaft was found to be twisted, but the cause could not be ascertained, and it was decided that when the machine was taken to pieces for repair it should be thoroughly inspected by a Thames, firm, as it was thought that some of the recently installed parts might be constructed, badly, or that some of the holes might,not have been bored truly. It may be found that the defect is in the construstion of the main frame, or that some undetected wear has occurred and has not had an effect up td the present.

The crusher is, now driven by a 40h.p. electric motor, but hitherto steam engines have been used. A steam engine will slacken speed, under a load, but a motor does not do so io the same extent. The capacity of. the crusher is supposed to be 80 cubic yard;; of metal a day. Last week 80 yards were crushed ini six hours. Possibly it is the greater ppeed of tire electric motor, accompanied by the fact that the speed' is constant, that has caused the breakages, but the mechanics decline to accept this theory. Whatever the cause, the consequences are serious, as the summer is. passing and so' f,ar nothing has been done on the roads. Metal is required for the completion of .the Huirau Road bitumen work, and for the bottom course of the Turua-Netherton road from the end of the portion already sealed to the Kerepeehi-Whare-pba road.