TROUBLE AT ARAPUNI

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 291, 3 August 1932, Page 4

TROUBLE AT ARAPUNI

OFFICIAL FLUTTER DIYERSION GATES OPENED T0 OVERHAUL DRAINAGE TUNNEL ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF'S VISIT Rumour has beieu busy witR events at Arapuni during the past few days, and although it is difiicult to secure Information from official sources, enquiries made yesterday indicate that further trouble has devieloped at the works. Although Mr. T. Rabone, engineer-in-charge at Arapuni yesterday denied that the trouble was oi. any serious extent, it is ascertained that there has been a considerable flutter fn the official dove-cots. The "Morning Post" learned last evening that oyer ^_th'e week-eni, trouble developedHFTT drainage tun-. nel under the head-race and when in-' vestigations were made it was found that an exeessive volume of water was passing through -this chann'el. The position was evidently regarded of sufficient urgency in official quarters to call in headquarters advice, and Mr. F. W. Furkert, engineer-in-chief to the Public Works Department, accompanied by other members of the Departmental engineering staff proceeded p'ost-haste from Wellington to Arapuni on Sunday. The position became more serious on Monday night and as a result, a diver was brought from Auckland and further reinforcements of technical advisers arrived on the scene. It was decided that in order to facilitate the investigation, it would be necessary to lower the level of the lake, and the diversion tunnel was accordingly opened yesterday morning. By one o'clock the level of the lake had been lowered a foot and the gates were still opan at five o'clock last evening. Advice was received in Hamilton yesterday that leaks had developed in the floor of the headrace and that a "fair amount" of water was percolating thtough. The diversion tunnel had been opened to enable the bed of the

"race" to be examined. This was bei ing done as a precautionary measure. When the matter was referred to Mr. Rabone, he stated that the trouhle j was by no means so serious as had been represented. "The station is still in service, and I aee no prospect of it going out," he stated. "A little seepage has occurred in the sides of the headrace and the diversion tunnel Iias been opened in conneetion with the investigation to he carried out," he added. Visitors to Arapuni informed a "Morning Post" representative yesterday that all official quarters were most reticent regarding the position, and one gentleman described the atmosphere as "a wall of silence." Rumours were eurrent yesterday that trouhle had ben experieneed with No. 2 turbine and that cracks which had developed near the spillway were causing anxiety. No conI firmation of these rumours, however, can be obtained, although a visitor to the works described the atmosphere as "tense" and stated that "even the residents and workmen will say nothing." It is ascertained that a large gang of men worked all Monday night excavating in conneetion with the overhaul of "the drainage tunnel.