NELSON TO SEEK GOVT HELP

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32392, 3 September 1970, Page 1

NELSON TO SEEK GOVT HELP

(New Zealand Press Association)

NELSON, September 2. The Government will be asked to provide financial help for Nelson. The Mayor (Mr T. F. Horne) said today that an initial approach would be made immediately to the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) telling him of the situation in Nelson.

The latest move to put the city back on its feet follows a tour of the worst-hit areas of Nelson today by the Minister in Charge of the Earthquake and War Damage Commission (Mr Rae).

Mr Rae said he would consider the case of farmers and glasshouse owners, some of whom had suffered severe financial loses. Mr Horne said: “We must seek Government assistance because of the extent of the damage and as our purse is empty. It will be a little while yet before we are able to submit an accurate report of the extent of the flood damage and the cost.” He said that they were also hoping for subsidies from the national roads board and the catchment board to help meet the considerable cost of repair work. UNITS ARRIVE Two emergency chlorination units from Ohakea arrived in Nelson late this morning by R.N.Z.A.F. Bristol Freighter and one was expected to be attached to the Brook Stream water supply later today. This afternoon, the Acting Medical Officer of Health (Dr D. A. Andrews) said results of samples taken of the city’s water system on Monday, and received from the Nelson Hospital Laboratory today, showed “a very slight evidence of pollution but not as much as we first thought.” Temporary repairs are being made to numerous gas mains in parts of Nelson to extend the area of supply. The bulk of the central city area had gas restored yesterday and today when volumes of stormwater which entered through fractures was pumped out. The City Engineer (Mr G. A. Toynbee) said that when the most urgent jobs were completed, a second main would be laid over the Collingwood Street bridge. Mr Toynbee said that most homes would have reticulated water tonight. CLEANING JOB The Nelson and Stoke chapters of Jaycee have combined to co-ordinate in a clean-up on Saturday. The project has been called Operation Goodwill. The Mayor said today that civil defence assistance was being extended to residents with the most urgent slip problems. Many Nelson tomato growers may have lost up to half their tomato crops in the flooding.

Farmers in the denselypopulated and highly productive area of the northeastern section of the city, were still pumping water from their tomato houses this morning while the sun broke out to wilt and render infertile acres of glasshouse plants.