RESTORING FLOOD DAMAGE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28540, 20 March 1958, Page 8

RESTORING FLOOD DAMAGE

Suggested Linking Of Services

(New Zealand Press Association) HAMILTON, March 19.

The profession should press for the establishment of a central co-ordinating organisation for engineering and other services, for use in the event of disasters such as the recent Waikato floodings, said the chairman of the South Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers (Mr L. Gilchrist) at a meeting in Hamilton. He suggested that it should operate over a wider area than the Waikato Valley. - The meeting heard 11 engineers review the flood. Mr C. J. W. Parsons the Hamilton District Commissioner of Works, said that the fact that there had been no loss of life was astounding. He said it was likely the Town and Country Planning Act would be used more in the future and provision would have to be made for flood channels. *

In Otorohanga, for Instance, he said it appeared likely that a large number of houses would have to be moved to provide for these channels.

The Waikato Valley Authority members were at present in Wellington, discussing with the Minister broad terms for flood mitigation. He could only describe the tentative sketch plans for flood protection as "colossal.”