The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1930 THE PARALYSIS OF ARAPUNI

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1001, 18 June 1930, Page 10

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1930 THE PARALYSIS OF ARAPUNI

WHAT is to be done about the severe paralysis of the Arapuni hydro-electric works? The question is vastly more important to the Auckland Province than any sort of Ministerial response to vehement protest against the authorities’ decision to forbid officials on the ground from giving information to reporters. It is true, of course, that a policy of secrecy on public matters of the first importance frequently is more stupid than otherwise, but what is there new to tell concerning the present collapse of Auckland’s main source of electric power? The enterprise lias been stricken almost in the initial stage of its wide service, and obviously will be out of action for a long time even at the shortest possible term for the completion of effective remedies and repairs. And while the Arapuni giant is palsied and almost tragically useless, scores of thousands of electricpower consumers, who had been encouraged to repose too much faith in hydro-electricity from the dammed waters of the Waikato, are compelled to depend entirely upon a series of overworked generating stations. Steam and oil-fuel plants are again in commission. These are doing good work in an emergency, but it must not be forgotten that all of them were strained to full capacity in anticipation of Arapuni’s advent as a great success. If anything should go wrong, say even a minor breakdown at the King’s Wharf station, Greater Auckland and most of its industries would be precipitated into widespread inconvenience and serious loss. Already it has been admitted quite frankly that the strain of maintaining power to meet a keen demand is an “engineer’s nightmare.” There may yet be need of a drastic rationing of supply, and even now there is a plea for economy, which involves a reduction in revenue. Moreover, there is no prospect at all of the various Power Boards concerned being able to cope with the normal rapid increase in the demand foxelectrical energy. In short, the position is serious. It is so serious, indeed, that the Government should face the stark facts and refuse to allow its most responsible engineers to embark upon an additional expenditure of any sum ranging from half a million to a million pounds sterling without first securing an independent report from competent engineers oxxtside the Dominion. The new Minister of Works, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, who only lias a layman’s knowledge of electricity, has stated that the Government has called for a geological report which is to be followed by the engineers’ recommendations. A geologist “may be able to enlighten political administrators about the nature and age of the country which already has betrayed the State into grotesque expenditure, but when everything geological is known, the final problem will be one for engineers. Is it right, is it reasonable, to say the least, to depend any longer on the engineers who have advised successive Governments as to Arapuni and its ultimate fate? Experience has proved that their calculations, particularly as regards cost of works, have been almost inexcusably awry. Circumstances now demand an independent report by the most eminent engineers procurable for an essential pux-pose which is nothing more or less than securing dependable knowledge that the expenditure of another extra half-million pounds or so on Arapuni would make the prostrate enterprise a valuable asset.

No one would wish to embarrass officials at a time when they are confronted with acute difficulties, but many people are now asking whether or not it may be true that the highest authorities in the Public Works Department have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Obviously, the chief engineer has far too many jobs in hand to expect perfect achievement in them all. Politicians may have been hypnotised in the past, but the time for a chronic surrender of administrative will to departmental advisers has gone. The Government is confronted with stern realities and should meet them with alert determination.

As far as anyone can peer into the future, it will take a year at least to restore Arapuni to working condition. About the same period of time will be required for the installation of Diesel engines or a huge steam plant for generating electricity on the Waikato coalfields. Such substitutes for a source of hyrdoeleetricity which has been run out in order to prevent worse disaster cannot be provided with the speed of magic. Before rushing pell-mell into expensive schemes all the authorities should confer without delay and clear the ground of difficulties and deficiencies in engineering advice and skill. Ail end should be made to audacious and brittle experiments.