MANGAHAO WORKS.

Shannon News, 20 October 1922, Page 3

MANGAHAO WORKS.

DAMS MAY CAUSE DELAY

A report on the progress of the liyoro-eiectric power scheme at- Mangaliao has been forwarded for publication by the secretary of the Progress League (Mr G. Mitchell, M.P.), who paid a visit to- .the works last Monday. lie went right down to the site of No. 1 (Mangahao) .darn and tunnel inlet, and states that with the exception of one particular phase of the work, quite satisfactory progress is being made. Especially is this so in regard to the tunnels. Three hundred and eighty men are now on the work, the highest number yet employed. In reference' to* the power-house, Mr Mitchell says .-"The officer in charge of this construction seemed the embodiment oi energy, and is pushing the work along. Providing there is no delay in supplying the materials required, there need be no delay on account of the power-house. ' The surge chamber excavation has been completed, and other -works at the

Shannon end are well forward.” "Ihe most satisfactory progress is shown in the rate at which the tunnels Sre being pushed .on,” continues the report: "8670 ft has been driven out of 11,880 ft, leaving 3210 ft yet to be done. The total length driven last month was 840 ft, and at the same rate of progress the tunnels will be through in about four months’ time. A splendid performance was put up

by Nash’s team, of seven men last month in driving' 206 ft. of 7ft tunnel, and timbering 160 ft. Whether this is a. record or not, I am unable to say, but there is no question they are! a team of expert grafters, and well earn their' money. Where possible, the concrete lining of the. tunnels is following closely on the excavations. “Any danger of the works not being completed up to . time now lies with the construction of the dams. They are certainly the most unsatisfactory part of thes works, and all energy should be concentrated .on thein.At Arapeti (the centre dam) extensive excavations have been and are still being made. A great deal of work remains. yet to be ddfie, but as Hhe foundation in some places has not been i-eached, the task ahead is unknown. At the top (Mangahao) darn the rock has been struck, and the? amount of excavations necessary is known and definite.

“To. give some extent of these ex-

cavations, I may say that each dam was estimated to take about 10,000 square! yards of concrete. The Arapeti dam will now take nearly double that amount. As these huge dams may be the cause of delaying- the scheme, it is hoped that all possible energy will be ! concentrated upon them. “This is not going to be a cheap scheme. The very nature of the works and the difficulties met with preclude such a possibility. It (has already cost so much, that time, not cost,' is now the essence of the contract. We will, therefore, serve our people best by having the power ready up to time, •and by the boards being prepared to receive the power when it is ready. I therefore again urge, the concentration of all available forces on the danger point of delay, the construction of the dams.”