| Abstract |
Recently I was talking to Pat Browne (Associate Professor of Geology, Geothermal Institute, University of Auckland) about this and and it came up in our conversation that investigations for the utilisation of geothermal steam for the production of electricity at Wairakei commenced nearly 40 years ago. He thought that, as I had been involved in the geothermal business throughout this period, some sort of personal view of development at Wairakei could make an interesting story. Because of limitations of space and because so much pioneering work took place in the first year, I have limited the scope of this paper to the period up to February 1951. For me it all started at Karori, during the Christmas break of 1949, when I was visiting my friends the Frees, and happened to be talking to their neighbour, a distinguished-looking Austrian gentleman, Mr Norbert Modriniak. He asked what I was doing for a living and I told him that I was working for a surveyor in Silverstream, and that although the work was interesting the pay was not enough to support me; even then per annum was not much. He asked if I would be interested in working in the Taupo- Rotorua-Bay of Plenty region. I said I was. He then told me to report early in January 1950 for an interview with a Mr Studt, at the Geophysical Survey branch of N.Z. Geological Survey. The office was situated in a rather old building above some shops at the northern end of Quay. |