HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2263, 14 April 1921, Page 2

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

A report issued by the executive of the Mangahao Hydro-Electric League, which visited the works on April 7th, congratulates the Minister of Public Works and the engineering staff on the continued steady progress. The whole of the machinery in the provisional pow~. house had been erected. The'

era tors, which had held up this matter so long, had been erected, and power for the compression to drive the drill would now be available. A start bad been made with the excavation of the surge chamber: rails were on the ground, and a tram line to the chamber site was about to be commenced. This would be operated by a 100 li.p. electric motor, which was on the ground ready for placing in position. Electric locomotives for use in the tunnel were also to hand, and a start had been made to prepare the site for the permanent power-house. A garage to house six lorries had been erected, and considerable other building has been proceeded with. The transmission line from Shannon to Arapeti camp had been completed, and the compressors erected. The tunnel from Tokomaru Valley to the surge chamber had been started, and was in 400 feet. This work had been done by hand drilling, but power would be available within a week- or so to drive the power drills. -The tramway to Mangahao tunnel face was completed, and, all preparations completed to start driving either by contract or co-operative labour. Practically all the men at this camp were now* properly housed in permanent cottages and huts. The sawmill was visited, and was in full swing. Already upwards of half a million feet of timber had been used in the various buildings. The contractors for the Mangahao tunnel had started operations, and the heading was 40 feet in. A start would be made at once with the excavation for the big dam there. This would be a much larger job than at first estimated, and would add considerably to the cost, but the engineers anticipated no serious delay in tlie completion of the work from this cause. In conclusion the report pays a tribute to the work of the Y.M.C.A. at the works, the .secretary of which has lately taken on the duty of schoolmaster to the children, and urges the pressing forward of preparations to distribute the electricity when available.