HYDRO-ELECTRIC WORKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1921, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRIC WORKS.

ENLARGING NO. 2 TUNNEL. WORK TO BE STARTED. SURVEY POSTPONED. Following the recent polls at which the New Plymouth ratepayers approved of the raising of a loan of £9OOO for extraordinary expenditure at the hydroelectric works, the New Plymouth Borough Council last night decided that the enlargement of No. 2 tunnel be proceeded with.

The question was introduced by the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) after the council had received the official result of the polls. Dealing with the tunnel issue, he said a different aspect had been placed on the proposal as the result of the visit of the Government engineer (Mr. Kissell). The report of this officer stated that the tunnel as at present constructed would latet on mean a loss of 48 h.p., and if this had been known there never would have been any question of the enlargement. In justice to the council, therefore, it must be said that until Mr. Kissell’s report was received they did not know of the loss. He moved that the tunnel be carried out on the larger size, as in the first portion. The motion was seconded by Cr. Blackball and carried.

The Mayor said that the question of a survey was quite immaterial once the council had decided to enlarge the tunnel, as everyone admitted that it would not be needed for many years. This proposal could therefore stand over. Cr. Kibby raised a point as to the work at the forebay, Mr. Kissell’s report having intimated that this portion of the contract need not be carried out in conjunction with the tunnel work, but could be done later. The opinion of the council’s consulting engineers was that the work could not be deferred.

Cr. Blackhall expressed the opinion that the tunnel could be completed without the forebay, and it was a matter of making arrangements during the construction of the tunnel to leave the necessary junction, The Mayor suggested that the attention of the consulting engineers should be drawn to Mr. Kissell’s statement.

Cr. Brown remarked that the expenditure involved on the outside work had been one of his main objections to enlarging the tunnel. It was decided to forward to the consulting engineers a copy o-f Mr. Kissel’s report in regard to the forebay asking for their comments.