Overview
Sun. Mar. 30.
My 32nd second visit to Mangahao Hydro-elec.[tric] Works. At 8.10 Bill Walker arrived in his car + we
[page break]
reached Mangatangi Ford at 8.53 where we left car + Mrs Walker, baby Nola + Miss Gardiner who accompanied us this far + spent the day here. There was an easterly breeze with passing clouds which later in day occasionally dropped a light shower but on the whole the weather was fine + sunny. At 9.am Bill + I left Mangatangi Ford + preceded on foot – left road 9.15 + ascended spur to saddle at 9.50 – reached Arapete at 10.7. Further progress has been made with the Tokomaru Dam, the present crest-line of which resembles battlements, + it now rises to a height of some feet above the “tramway” aperture. To-day being Sunday the rock-crushing + concrete-mixing plants were not working but a number of men were engaged in fixing the boxing on the present crest of the dam ready for concreting during the coming week, while others were removing the boxing of concrete sections already set in position. 1/2pl.[ate] photo (1) of upstream face of dam from left bank showing the projecting sluice-gate shaft +c. 1/2pl. photo (2) general view of dam from hillside near the rock crushing plant. We then went through the “tramway” aperture to the downstream side of dam. Like the “flume” aperture the tramway one
[page break]
is hourglass shaped + inside it has recessed + projecting angles. 1/4pl. (3) of backslope of dam. 1/4pl. (4) of men fixing wooden boxing on crest of dam. 1/2pl. (5) of dam from top of east end of dam trench. From this point the dam-wall is seen to be now assuming definite shape, the gentle convexity facing upstream being now a prominent feature. The upper part of the seal wall which forms the upstream face of the dam is still kept distinct from the main mass of the latter, it being of a richer concrete mixture that [sic] the rest of the dam wall + is not being built up so rapidly as the latter. The camp at Arapete is still being added to to [sic] accommodate a large number of additional men who are housed in further newly-erected groups of tents. We left Tokomaru Dam at 11.am + proceeded up the river via the tramline to Tunnel No1. After a snack here we entered the tunnel at 11.34 + emerged at 12.1 at the Mangahao River. A month ago the 130ft Hoist Tower formed a novel + spectacular feature but now it is merely the central support of a great net of steel cables + hemp rope that stretches from one side of the Mangahao Valley to the other. The
[page break]
uppermost line of the net consists of two cables stretching from the summit of the Tower to anchors set high up in the east + west hillsides respectively. From each of these cables there hangs a numerous series of hemp ropes running through blocks + supported by these are the long metal shutes for delivering the liquid concrete to any portion of the core wall across the ancient filled channel of the Mangahao, or to the sections so far in position of the big dam in No1 Gorge. We first went along to the upper track on the left bank of the river above No1 Gorge + took a vertical 1/2pl. panoramic photo (6) + (7) of No1 Gorge, the Hoist Tower + shutes +c. We then crossed the river via a small plank fort-bridge thrown across the gap cut through the Diversion Dam. The By-pass Tunnel is now sealed at both upper + lower ends by temporary wooden gates + the turned back into its former course through the Gorge while the permanent sluice-gate is being fixed in the Control Shaft of the By-pass Tunnel. Met Mr. Tennant + later Mr. Johnston. Concreting is again in progress + the core-wall has been built up at a further 10ft. or 12ft. since my last visit. The great
[page break]
Block or mass (east wing of dam) against the right wall of No1 Gorge has also been built up by some 10ft. or 12ft. + the backslope of the new portion has a gentler gradient than the part below. On this occasion the west wing of the dam – that against the left wall of the Gorge – was the scene of activity, a gang of men being busily engaged in further concrete construction. A striking feature on this visit was the extension of the camp on the high-level terrace up the steep eastern slope of the valley directly above the terrace. This has become necessary on account of the large number of additional men now being employed on these works – a total of 650 – the new hands on this portion of the scheme being principally carpenters who are required in connection with the boxing of the sections of the dam. The hillside referred to is so steep that the site of each tent erected requires either to be excavated or to be built up by means of a revetment or crib-structure of Cogs, + in this instance the latter method has been adopted as being quicker + cheaper. An extensive + lengthy series of wooden stairways has been built up the steep hill-side
[page break]
to give access to the tents, the whole forming an extraordinary feature in these once sequestered solitudes. Bill + I went up to the new hillside camp + took 1/2pl. photo (8) of the Hoist Tower + shutes with core-wall in high-level terrace. Then went to the extreme NE margin of the hillside clearing + took 1/2pl. (9) of high-level terrace camp (now much extended) with Hoist Tower + schutes from the spot. Also 1/2pl. (10) of Hoist Tower +c as seen nearly edge-wise on from bank above eastern end of core-wall trench. After a chat with Mr Johnston who paid me 20/- [shillings] for 14 views of the works received, we accepted his invitation to afternoon tea in staff cookhouse. Met J. Feldt who gave me another order for 1/2doz[en] photos of himself in diver’s costume, + a chap named H. Crowther, a native of Bradford, Eng.[land] who claimed to be a University man + a lecturer, thrust a £1 note on me in payment of 7 views of N.Z. Country Life + 1/2doz. of himself on the punt, a photo I took viz. 1/2pl. (11) of lower end of No1 Gorge with punt moored + the lower end of By-pass Tunnel temporarily sealed with wooden gate in background. It took us some time getting away from this chap who would have lectured for hours on the spot if we had let him.
[page break]
We left No1 Gorge, entering tunnel at 2.56 p.m. out of tunnel 3.19. Left Arapete 3.33. Reached timber tram saddle 3.45 + car at 4.20. Found ladies all well, having had a pleasant day. Left Ford in car at 4.35 + reached Woodside 5.20