WAIMAKARIRI STOPBANKS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26126, 31 May 1950, Page 8

WAIMAKARIRI STOPBANKS

TEMPORARY REPAIRS TO BREACHES

All the breaches made in the stopbanks by the flooding of the Waimakariri have now been sandbagged above the water level. The chief engineer to the North Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr H. W. Harris) said yesterday that the sandbagging was being raised so that it could cope with a rainfall ot three to four inches in 24 hours. No water was now coming through the breaches.

About 70 men have been engaged on repair work, the Waimairi County Council having lent 20 men for the last three days, and the Riccarton Borough Council having provided additional staff on Sunday. In an emergency the board can obtain voluntary assistance from 50 to 60 local residents.

Mr Harris said that the ground was still too wet to start permanent filling of the breaches, but all arrangements had been made for an early start. About 25,000 yards of spoil would be needed for repairs, and the board would have to obtain 10 or 12 additional trucks for the work.

Stock losses in the flood were only small. Mr Harris said that one farmer at Chaney’s had lost seven head of cattle, and another might have lost some ewes, but he had still to make a count of his sheep. The only other losses were two dozen hens and Mr L. Wright’s horse at Coutts Island. Nearly all the residents at White’s Bridge who were driven from their homes by the flood have now returned. Two houses which were badly flooded have not been reoccupied. Mr Harris reported at 7.30 p.m. yesterday that the level of the Waimakariri was almost back to normal, the river only having to drop about 18 inches at the bridge. An inch of rain had fallen at Arthur’s Pass, and a howling south-westerly wind / was blowing. • “I don’t think there will be any more troubles.” said Mr Harris.