Storm Damage In Canterbury

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29800, 17 April 1962, Page 14

Storm Damage In Canterbury

Trees have been among the most serious losses during the-storm over Canterbury at the week-end. High wind and rain-softened soil resulted in farm trees being uprooted all over Canterbury. An assessment of losses in the State Forests had not been completed yesterday, but the Conservator of Forests in Christchurch (Mr H. V. Hinds) said that conditions were unfavourable and losses could reasonably be expected. In Christchurch. trees •were down in many household gardens but although branches were stripped off some trees in the public parks, no trees were found to be down. “We came through very well indeed,” said the director of reserves for the Christchurch City Council (Mr H. G. Gilpin) yesterday. This, he said, had been the result of taking down old trees in recent years and heavily pruning others which were likely to be dangerous Toll Services Cut Nearly 1000 telephone subscribers were without service yesterday morning because of the wind and water damage to overhead lines and undergound cables. Early in the morning, toll services to Akaroa and Ataahua were cut. Some of the circuits to Rangiora, Amberley and Hawarden were also lost during Sunday night and restored yesterday. There was a very heavy demand for gas and electricity and the early onset of winter caught the Christchurch Gas Company still completing its summer programme of maintenance of mains and equipment. One main was out of action because of the Manchester street bridge rebuilding and a new one was going in at Tuam street. All its resources were called on to maintain a supply yesterday but pressure remained low during the morning. Checks were made yesterday in the Riccarton area to establish the cause of low pressure there A spokesman for t.he company said water might have entered a main.

The general manager of the MED (Mr G H Battersby) said that power consumption yesterday would probably be a record for April. The department’s linesmen had to repair many faults to service lines as did linesmen for Power Boards in other parts of the province Two mains, at Harewood and Mount D leasant were damaged and there was an overnight cable breakdown at the Jerrold street substation A tree falling over lines at Redcliffs yesterday afternoon cut off power to Sumner and Redcliffs for an hour and a half. The New Zealand Electricity Department suffered no interruption to its supply No Highways Blocked Public services in Christchurch suffered remarkably little from the storm. Although many telephone and i power lines came down, and i although City Council and Drainage Board men worked to keep drams clear on Sunday and yesterday, engineers and supervisors felt they had got off lightly. “We had less trouble than we had a right to expect," said a Ministry of Works engineer of the highway position. No state highways were blocked by snow or slips although graders were kept clearing Porters Pass where nearly a foot of snow’ has fallen. The Drainage Board had many minor complaints, mostly of water on sections. The City Council had men out clearing minor flooding in many parts of the city. Rough water in the Estuary washed over the New Brighton spit and flooded Rocking Horse road yesterday afternoon. Waves

threatened the northern shore of the Estuary as the tide rose and. at high water, the Heathcote river overflowed its banks at Opawa. The underpass for Racecourse road at the Sockburn overbridge was flooded yesterday by about a foot of water which had overshot a blocked sump and poured down on 30ft of roadway. The resident engineer for the Ministry of Works (Mr A. M. Peart) said last night that more extensive drainage would be installed there and that, if necessary, pumps would be used to clear the water today. Traffic was not stopped by the water. Restoring Telephones

Post Office engineering gangs had to work late last night to restore telephone circuits through cables damaged by water. Only about 150 subscribers in Christchurch were cut off by winddamaged lines. Most of the telephone troubles were the result of water entering underground cables, said the divisional engineer for Post Office field work (Mr D. M. MacFarlane) The most serious problem was a crack in sheath on joints at the corner of Ferry road and Olliviers road. This caused the loss o< halt the circuits connecting the Mount Pleasant exchange to the Central exchange. This fault affected subscribers at Lyttelton, Sumner and Mount Pleasant. It was rectified by noon

Another 600 subscribers in Papanui were affected by a water fault and others were without service at Beckenham, New Brignton, Ham. Riccarton and Shiiley. Cable - jointing gangs worked late last night to restore the services to the Riccarton, Shirley and New Brighton subscribers. An underground fault in Bamford street still affected the Mount Pleasant exchange -st evening. Water covering the area had to be pumped away before the job could be started, said Mr MacFarlane Rail services were not upset by the weather. Special Fights

Weather cjid not cause an) further disruption to aircraft movements through Christchurch Airport. The N A.C traffic superintendent (Mr J P. Glasson) said that special Viscount and Fokker Friendship flights had been made to carry passengers who had their flights postponed from Sunday. Because of the strong winds aircraft coming to Christchurch had landed behind schedule but that was the only delay during the day. he said.