CIVIL DEFENCE PLAN ALTERED

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31676, 11 May 1968, Page 14

CIVIL DEFENCE PLAN ALTERED

A revised Civil Defence Organisation for the Wairewa County Council has been drawn up and sent to the Christchurch regional Civil Defence Organisation since the storm which damaged the county at Easter.

The new local organisation is divided into eight geographical areas, each controlled by platoon commanders who are responsible to the county controller (Mr W. S L. Mcßae), the county council was told at its meeting al Little River yesterday. The plan aimed to give a workable scheme which in eluded everyone, the chair man of the county (Cr McRae) Mid. However, the local people during the storm went into action immediately without an emergency being declared. The county received the assistance it needed at all times during the storm, he Mid. The council decided to send a copy of the organiMtion members to each platoon commander. If a member did not want to join the organisation his name would be re-

moved and other names could be added, Cr Mcßae Mid. Members of the council were shown colour elides of flooded areas by the noxious weeds inspector (Mr H. W. Fawcett).

Slides of damage to the Port Levy Road showed where the water rushing down a valley had scoured the road, taking all the road surface away and leaving debris, rocks and trees on the road. Gullies not disturbed for a 100 years had been scoured to the bare rock, Cr Mcßae said. Lake Forsyth was still capable of taking much more water during the storm, Cr Mcßae said.

The lake was opened twice after the storm and the level of the lake fell 6|ft At least 3300 sheep and 50 cattle were lost during the storm, Mr W. F. Aydon, the county clerk, Mid. These were conservative figures, he Mid, and did not include all farms in the area.

Flood damage to council property in the county amounted to $364, Mr Aydon Mid. Damage to roads and bridges in the council was estimated at $15,000.