MANGAHAO PROGRESS

Otaki Mail, 21 August 1922, Page 3

MANGAHAO PROGRESS

TUNNELS THROUGH NEXT YEAR. DAM*,') Ilk DELIDINu lAl.l'Jli. A gratilyiug report regarding the progress ol the Mangaliau hydro-elec-tric s;henie is made by Mr G. Mitchell, M.P., who paid a visit ot inspection iu die works on Monday; la liib report, Mr Mitchell states:--"No 1 inlet has beta pierced to a distance ol l'jlil't, mid at the outle. end 1070 ft bus been bored, making a total of 3554 H. The length of tins tunnel is D2BOH, Mats leaving Ki'Jb'li yet to be pierced. The monthly average :.-. about L'ssit. It, will, therefore. 'ake about a ix months to complete tUi excavation of this runnel. No. 2 tun no! is in L'o-lilt, and the out 1&K1II, a total of isJOTft driven out of 6SOOU, leaving 30WR yet. The tunnel is being front four nice.-, .in I at the average rate o, progress, this tunnel will be through in eight months 'the by-pass tunne, at 'he Alangahao end is fhrough, ami is now being lined with concrete. Much concrete lining has already been dune and the rest will follow closely on the punnellers.

"No work has taken place a T . No. - inlet since the unfortunate accident, bat machinery is now being installed >o work the pumps by elect deity, anil it is hoped that a start will be made in this tunnsl in about two weeks. It will he seen, theriftore. thai, the tunnels will be through early next yoar.j '•At No. 1 dam a good deal more excavation than was at nrsi anticipated has 1 ten necessary to get to a saiisfactorx loundation, bin it is ex peded that this will be completed and the construction of the dam commenced in November. .No. ;! dam: Unfortunately the excavations required for tiiis dam are also much mors extensive and mote, difficult than was at lirst anticipated, and when people I realise that there will be over 10,000 j yards of concrete in each of these two "dams, they will have some idea ot I their size. But, with all the difheulI ties, there is no reason to anticipate I delay.

'Good progr.es= is being made with the power-house. The cuter walls axe now about, ten feet above ground. The excavation of the surge chamber is almost completed. Some- of the 360 men now employed are laying trie bed tor the pipe' line, sinking the shaft over No. i tunnel inlet, and on many other works connected with tin*'works, so that, all may' be in readiness at the end of next year. "The largest number l% tuen ■MW yet employed are now on the works, and, barring unforeseen happenings and delays, I see no reason to doubt the Department's ability to fulfil the promise made by the Minister that the works should be completed by pecember. 11)23. Whilp there is no reason to anticipate any happenings which would cause delay, there are always so many possibilities connected with a Dig work qf this nature. If, for instanpe, during the initial stages of construction of No. 1 dam; a flood occurred in the Mangahao. which it was beyond the capacity of Hie fcy-pas.s iunnel to ciiPS With, many months of 1 labour might be swept away. These are possible happenings it is beytud human power to prevent and must be reckoned with. ' ''We may e.-peet a move to bs made «hort!v with the construction of the transmission line, a.s this work also must be pushed on."