STORM DAMAGE

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 219, 16 June 1925, Page 8

STORM DAMAGE

EROSION AT EASTBOURNE SEVERAL PROPERTIES IN DANGER “POSITION VERY SERIOUS” Considerable damage has been done to the foreshore at Eastbourne by the recent southerly gales. The Mayor of Eastbourne (Mr. 11. M. Jones) informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that as a result of the heavy seas a strip of land about 150yds. long and from 20 to 30ft. wide, had been torn away, and the earth and sand washed towards the Rona Bay wharf. As a consequence of this, about a dozen houses are in danger, should further gales and the heavy seas be experienced. The localities affected are Mantell’s corner. Kauri Street, and I-linau Street. Properties owned by Messrs. Mather, Brunton, and Murphy, and the pavilion on the Recreation Ground are in considerable danger. Tn one case the sea got in behind a high wall erected to afford protection against just such a contingency. The road itself has been washed away in one place. A large concrete culvert at Kauri Street, which, when sought for some time ago could not be found, being embedded; some 50 feet in sand, is now 30 feet high and dry. The whole position, said Mr. Jones, was verv serious and required immediate attention. Arrangements were being made to push ahead immediately with the construction of groynes, according to the report of Messrs. R. W. Holmes and Son. The erection of those gtovnes, it was believed, would effectually protect the foreshore from further erosion.

So far as the borough itself was concerned, he said, the storm water had got well away, and the few places where there was room for complaint were being attended to. In Muritai, particularly, where storm water was usually very troublesome, the water got away verv well indeed. The general manager (Mr. J. F. Menzies) slated that the ferry boats met with no difficulty in berthing at Day’s Bay and Rona Bay yesterday. HUTT AND MAKARA COUNTIES ESCAPE DAMAGE The Hutt County Engineer has not received any advice indicating that the county sustained any damage as a result of the storm, except for small slips in the Taita Gorge, which were quickly cleared away, so that no inconvenience was caused to vehicular traffic. The Makara County was also stated to be free from damage. The road near Paremata, however, recently taken over by the Government, and at present .being attended to by the Public Works Department, was described as a veritable' quagmire in patches, its condition being much worse than at any time when under the control of the Counts’ Council. Although the Hutt River has been running very high no damage lias been reported in either the Hutt or Petone Boroughs. ' SLIP ON RAILWAY LINE HAWKE’S BAY TRAINS DELAYED Br Telegraph—Press Association. Dannevirke, June 15. A slip occurred on Sunday night between Ormondville and Kopua, which dislocated the railway traffic on the southern Hawke’s Bay section to-day. The trouble occurred at the spot where a slip came down some months backs in a cutting which has practically been on the move more or less since. Passengers by the express trains had to tranship, causing some delay. The working of other trains was much incommoded. After all arrangements had been made for passengers by the express trains north and south to tranship at the slip, this was found to be unnecessary. After some delay, trains succeeded in getting through without the necessity of transhipment.