RUMORS ABOUT WAITAKI WANT SIFTING

NZ Truth, Issue 1302, 27 November 1930, Page 7

RUMORS ABOUT WAITAKI WANT SIFTING

— + RELEASE HORNELL'S REPORT DAM FOUNDATIONS (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Rep.) W^ILL the colossal undertaking of -a harnessing the swirling waters of that great shingle river, thc Waitaki, be successfully accomplished at the cost estimated by the Public Works Department, and m thc time specified, or is the .stupendous task that confronts the Dominion's engineers doomed to failure? This is the perplexing question that is being asked by a great many people m the light of the disconcerting and unconfirmed statements m circulation regarding the dam that is being thrown across the Waitaki, above Ihe little township of Kurow. . x "It is expected that, the initial stage of the Waitaki hydro-electric scheme will be functioning m two years' time." Such is the bald statement issued, with grand gestures, from time to time by Minister of Public AVorks Taverner, and Chief Public Works Engineer Furkert, through the medium of the daily press,, and swallowed, hook, line and sinker by a believing t public. But there is something- that the big Chiefs of hydro-electricity allegedly find it convenient to overlook when handing out their optimistic departmental dope. Difficulty, it is stated, has been experienced m striking the solid rock foundations m the centre of the' dam that are absolutely essential to the security of the Waitaki scheme. Moreover, it certainly seems as though there is grave danger of seepage, and evidence of this is provided by the fact that the men employed on the work of constructing the foundations have been working often up to their waists m water, despite the fact that a huge pumping plant is constantly m operation. Recently this plant broke down, and within an hour or two that portion of the dam where work was m progress was completely flooded! The erection of the dam has been commenced on the Canterbury side of the river, where, first-class rock foundations have been established. ' This work has been carried out only 'm shallow water, and the idea is to divert the river contemporaneously with the construction of the dam. Up to the present, however, only the foundations of the power-house had been laid. Although Mr. Taverner and Chief Engineer Furkert glibly state that Waitaki, m its initial stage, will be ready m a couple of years, they, have failed to tell the public that not one of the difficult features of the scheme has yet been, undertaken, while actually only one-tenth of the scheme has been completed. Therefore, it appears extremely unlikely that the two years' promise will ever see its fulfilment. As for the capital cost of this mammoth undertaking, it is estimated by a reliable authority that the biii the Dominion will have to foot will exceed £3,000,000, this being for the development of a power station with a capacity of 100,000 horse- power, which will not be required for at least 15 years. ( At any rate, the reported situation at Waitaki is alarming,- to say the least, and m order to allay public unrest m the South Island, particularly m Canterbury and Otago, the Government should release' what information it has from Professor P. G. Hornell, the Swedish hydro-electrical expert. The Government has received some information from Professor Hornell and it would be interesting to know whether his views support those of the critics who have been contending that a solid foundation will not be- found i for the dam. The Government should i not hesitate to at once obtain an m j dependent report concerning the j scheme. The Government has decided not to obtain a full detaMed report from Pro--fessor Hornell. but where such huye public sums are involved, the country is entitled to more than the bald statement issued by the Minister that sdme report was received.