ARAPUNI SPILLWAY.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 301, 15 August 1929, Page 5

ARAPUNI SPILLWAY.

QUESTION OF EROSION

The Official Viewpoint,

Rumour has been busy during the past few days that the spillway at Arapuni was in danger of being eaten away by erosion and that in order to prevent this the Public Works Department had put on anything from 50 to 200 men to cope with the situation, the estimate varying in accordance with the imagination of the person retailing the piece of alleged news. This of course is not the first time that rumour has been busy with the works, the stability of which has on more than one occasion been called into question. The present rumour has gained a wide- circulation, and in order to . ascertain the true position a representative of the Press visited Arapuni on Tuesday. Inquiries made in Arapuni go to .show that even therd the number of men engaged recently has been subject to exaggeration. ' Tlie Preks ' representative sought ••out* a prominent official ' of the department and was given a courteous hearing. During the conversation the following facts in connection with the matter were gleaned:— It was not denied, that erosion was taking place, but' the department was fully cognisant df the whole position and the matter was in hand. It was pointed out that even if this continued it would take a long time before it reached the spillway structure, It Was also pointed out that the Arapuni falls below the spillway Were of a temporary nature and would be in no way part of the outfit when finally completed. As a matter of fact, when all the turbines had been put in and the powerhouse was in full running order only flood waters would be running over the present fall course. The official stated that had the original contract for the erection of the powerhouse been carried out by the original contractors the; channel in which the spill-; way is built would not have been ■called on to carry nearly as much water as it now has. One turbine is in operation an;d it is expected that the second one will be completed for drying purposes-within two weeks. The drying-out process usually takes u fortniglrt,-so’ that the turbine will be in use in about a months time. The third one is expected to be ,ready bv Christmas, and preparations are already being made for a fourth. Two extra tunnels were being put m, but the official stated that this was part of the original scheme and was not in any way connected with any new development that had arisen. As to fhe number of men put on recently, the official number was given as 20, a long way below the rumoured num-

The interview closed with the pressman being given the assurance that the department had nothing t hide and that rumour was once again proved to be a lying jade.