WAIMAKARIRI REPORTS

Press, Volume L, Issue 15016, 10 July 1914, Page 3

WAIMAKARIRI REPORTS

TO THE EDITOR Of "THE I_ESS." Sir,—Tho Kaiapoi Borough Council, tho Eyre and Waimairi County Councils, tho Wainiakariri River uoard, and tho Christchurch City Council, have drawn ! the attention of tho Government to tho importance of being supplied with information as to floods at tho Bealey, and the official ropty is that tho telegraph linesman is not always at tho Bealoy, but steps will be taken to supply the information as far an possible. Liko the members of tho bodies to ■whom tho reply has boon sent, I do not think this any more satisfactory ttian a similar reply which camo to mc offi- , daily as a Mayor sixteen years ago, but through tho efforts of Mr England, then chairman of tho River Board, and myself, a system was established whereby telegraphed information was supplied from tho Bealey, but in recent times- discontinued. . The question is one which, however, increases, and claims constant and regular attention. In the first placo, the Wainiakariri drains 1922 squaro miles, discharging 3-15,546 cubic feet per minuto. At its source the rainfall is m some years 150 inches in the year, compared with the average for tho Canterbury Plains o*" 25} inches. Some notes remind mo that the Bealey rainfall for tho year of the great flood-(I8G8) was 126 inches, for 1878 155 inches (in the i;utcr -b inches for July), 1907 174 inches, iuuß 170 inches, and prove this matter to bo no trifling affair. Last at Otira and Bealey Flat 25 inches were recorded, and at tho latter place 5 inches were noted for twentyfour hours on April 13th. The Waimakariri rises 4162 feet above sea level. Otira is about 1i153 feot. Its length is 93 miles, and the averago fall is 4-1J fcot per mile. Some of the fall in tho river is 311 feet per milo, but at tho Bealey it is All feet, and thence to the sea 2~\ feot. Tho river is no ordinary one, as explained | by r>iffenbach, Doyno, Dobsou, and others, for as its floods cany out of tho hills millions of tons of shingle, this obstructs tho water-way and puslies tho current out of the course into other directions. Diffenbach stated in 1840, it might bo a thousand years before such a river would have a well 'eiincd course Meanwhile in a twentieth of that period T have personally seen tho course in the lower reaches wholly changed. In 1863-4, 1866-7,1579-80, and in 1904 it • nearly took a completely new course to the, outlet. There are two or three railway lines, five or six bridges, and other large public works, including tho protective works for tho city of Christchurch. within the range and vagaries of tho Waimakariri. inde- ' pendent of many thousands of acres of high-class agricultural and grazing land subject, to the floods. The question of weather warnings and flood gauges for the Bealey and at the Gorge bridge, the Tailway bridsres. and other points, with the explanation above made, prove the necessity for prompt information being given from the Bealey. Such warnings wonld give farmers several hours' notice in which to collect stock and place those in charge of lines and public works on tho alert, therefor© I Kupoort the requests of all interested in hoping no time will be lost r*» providing the needed information as to rainfall and flood levels" at Bealey wit.hin reach of the pnblic on a reliable system. slthonrm a special officer roav have to be detailed for.tho poxpose.—Yours, etc., J.L'.W.