Mammoth Job

Modern machinery is proving its worth on the mammoth job of laying Gisborne city's new sewer intercepter pipelines from the new outfall site in Stanley Road to the beach.

With the aid of a giant ditch-digging machine, the eastern intercepter pipeline is now virtually completed, running from the beach to the Peel Street bridge, via Carnarvon Street and Palmerston Road.

When brought into use, the intercepter will serve both Whataupoko and Kaiti, as well as the centre of the city.

In Palmerston Road, where these pictures were taken, the pipeline was 24 inches in diameter, and was being laid 12ft under the street.

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A view of the heavily-scaffolded ditch with the ditch-digger working in the background

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A concrete pipe is lowered into the ditch

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Looking down Palmerston Road with water pumping equipment in the foreground

At the outfall site, preparations are being made for the launching of the 6000ft pipeline into Poverty Bay. It is hoped to launch the pipeline in the next few weeks, by use of a giant winch pulling a cable from the beach through a pulley anchored out at sea. The project is being watched with interest throughout the country, as it is the first of its kind to be undertaken in New Zealand.

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12 feet under the street, two workmen fix a pipe in position.

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Foreman of the job, George Purda, signals to the crane driver as a pipe is lowered.

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The giant winch being installed on the beach front

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The four 1500ft sections of the outfall pipeline waiting in readiness for the launching