SERIOUS FLOODS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 33, 2 November 1928, Page 13

SERIOUS FLOODS

-4 WAIRARAPA RIVERS BREAK BANKS MARTINBOROUGH ISOLATED . iTHOUSANDS OF ACRES UNDER WATER , Dominion Special Service. ' Masterton, November 1. The overflowing of rivers and the breaking of stop-banks in the lower valley have resulted in the flooding of thousands of acres in the Wairarapa, although most of the settlers were given sufficient warning of the approaching trouble and were able to muster their stock to higher levels and shelter. Consequently comparatively few losses of stock have, so far, been experienced, although on some of the far stations of the east coast the peculiar position exists, of sheep being yarded for the shearing and through a total lack of feed caused by the covering of the ground with . water are threatened with starvation unless the weather breaks.

Owing to the water covering to a considerable depth the road between Martinborough and Featherston and also the Ponotahi road from Martinborough to Masterton. Martinborough Is at present Isolated. Communication with town is impossible and there Is no prospect of relief until the flood Waters subside. No malls were received in Martinborough to-day, and as the rain is still falling Steadily it is likely that to-morrow will bring no change. Stop-bank Broken for Quarter of Mile. From particulars obtained by a “Dominion” representative it appears that the chief trouble in Featherston County is the breaking, down or overflowing of the stop-bank erected by the Kahutara River Board. It is reported that there is a break in the bank for a distance of about a quarter of a mile and water from the Ruamahariga River, which is in a state of high flood, is flooding the land on the Kahutara side. Pihautea and Pukeo soldier settlers are considerable sufferers because of this. ■ The water is also flooding over the banks of Mr. McMasters’s property, while the property of Mr. J. L. Sutherland is appreciably affected. A vast lake has sprung into being across that country from Martinborough to Pirinoa, where an enormous amount of water is. covering the land. There is a slip at the Ponatahl bridge, thus cutting off communication with Masterton, while water has made the road between Featherston and Martinborough impassable. The County Council can do little until the water subsides, which It at present shows no sign of doing. Kokotau Bridge' Closed. While Featherston County is chiefly affected, other counties have by no means escaped the trouble. Great inconvenience is being caused in Wairarapa South County, which embraces Carterton and the district Piles have been breaking away until the Kokotau bridge Is supported by only two, and consequently the bridge has been closed. Unfortunately' no proper action can be taken until the flood subsides and the erosion ceases. The bridge is an old structure, and tenders were about to be called for a new one when the trouble occurred. The more distant span of the bridge is at present in a precarious position. Unfortunately the timber which the County Council immediately ordered to .endeavour to relieve the position has not arrived, being held up because of the bad conditions existing for transport To-morrow the County Council will try to suspend this end of the far span with wire rope, and as soon as the Ruamahanga River goes down will start driving. However, the river is carrying a great volume of water, which is largely supplemented by the flow from the Waingawa and Taueru Rivers which join the Ruamahanga a few miles above Kokatau. Slips are numerous in the district. Water is well over the road at the Blackwater and Gladstone bridges, and traffic through that quarter was impossible to-day.. On the East Coast the land is inundated and loss of stock is threatened through the fact that no feed is at present obtainable in places. Workmen Nearly Caught by Slip. In Masterton County another slip took place this afternoon, when a large fall of debris occurred on the Masterton-Tinui highway. One of the workmen of the county, B. Page, who was working alone at this point, was almost caught by the fall of earth, and narrowly escape death. As it was, he escaped with a few bruises as a result of the slip. Tie road will be closed all to-morrow, although it is hoped to have it opened again for traffic to-morrow night. Several small slips have also occurred on the .Wangaehu.

The Tuhltarata dairy factory ig flooded, and work has been stopped. With regard to the slip on road. With regard to the slip on Blairlogle Road, it is expected that three or four days will elapse before this road will be passable. Generally there is little prospect of relief for the district as a whole until the rain stops, and even then it will be a considerable time before the rivers will subside sufficiently to allow the water to drain away. , The chief damage likely to occur is that caused by the water lying for so long on low-lying lands in the lower valley, although more serious consequences are expected if the weather does not clear. MANAWATU RIVER HIGH SERIOUS FLOOD NOT EXPECTED Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, November 1. Farmers in the vicinity of the Mana>atu River have been caused considerable anxiety on account of the heavy rain that has been falling in the Manawatu district, and in some cases stock has been removed. At 1 p.m. to-day the river had fallen to a level of sft. from the 12ft. twelve hours previously, but with more heavy rain this afternoon the reading was again almost 12ft. at 7 -p.m. It is not anticipated that serious flooding will occur unless there is a prolonged spell of heavy rain, and at present the indications KO thak mathm* wfll dean. J

BLIZZARD CONDITIONS LOCALLY HUTT RAILWAY LINE AGAIN ASSAULTED VERY LITTLE DAMAGE . REPORTED Stormy conditions continued yesterday, when the southerly gale developed to the degree of blizzard strength, making things thoroughly miserable. The gale raised a considerable sea in the harbour, whilst the fierce rain squalls rendered the inshore movements of shipping some, what difficult. The weather forecast of yesterday morning gave promise of kindlier conditions during the day, but the gale appeared to reach its maximum force in the afternoon, when rain was an almost continuous accompaniment to the southerly blast. On inquiry at the city engineer’s office it was found that no serious damage had so far been reported. There was a slight earth fall in Devon Street and a few fences yielded to the pressure of the big gusts, but there, were no very serious cases of flooding. With the exception of the drain men’s job, all outside work was in suspense, and paving operations were naturally at a standstill. At high tide high seas were being swept over the Hutt railway line, particularly between Ngahauranga and Petone, where such serious breaches were made in the seawall in August last. At these places the situation, under the prevailing conditions, looked very ugly, as the waves’ tops were swept over both lines and on the road, but the work done in the last eight or nine weeks seemed to be holding the outer line securely. In one or two places where the filling and loose stone revetment work had not quite been completed there were evidences, of washing out, which may develop if the storm continues. On the Whole/ however, the repair work is standing up to the battery of the seas very Well.

Men were stationed here and there along the line to watch for any. developments in the nature of dangerous breaches. As a precaution against anything of the kind the traffic authorities decided yesterday morning to use the inner track only, with the result that the normal time-table had to be departed from in certain instances. One arrangement that had to be made was to attach the Waterloo train to the one from higher up the valley, and that train, usually due in the city just before 9 a.m., was an hour late. Just before reaching Ngahauranga there was a long precautionary wait, ard passengers were afforded a splendid view of the storm while the seas broke over the carriages, poured through the ventilators and pebbles spattered against the seaward windows in quite an alarming manner. Some of the passengers, tiring of waiting, sought and were given' a lift into town by considerate .motorists, who had to keep a firm grip of their steering wheels to keep their cars on the bitumen track. The secretary of the Wellington Automobile Club (Mr. Stott) advises that Wednesday’s slip on the.Paekakariki Hill has been cleared sufficiently to allow cars to pass through, but that it is inadvisable for motorists to travel via the Akatarayva Hill, where there is a slip which has been only partly cleared. Eastbourne School Flooded. Children attending the Eastbourne School profited by the storm to the extent of two days’ holiday, as the school itself was badly flooded. Several houses also suffered from flooding, but the Eastbourne Borough Council took the matter in hand without delay. TRAMLINE BLOCKED SLIP UNDERNEATH KELBURN VIADUCT A large amount of' earth came down on the tramline right underneath the Kelburn Viaduct at about half-past 6 o’clock last night. The line was blocked, and as the slip extended over the roadway all traffic has been held up since then. It is understood that the slip is not likely to be cleared before this afternoon. Fortunately there were four tramcars on the Katori side of the viaduct at the time, so the usual service was continued, the passengers transhipping at the slip. . • Owing to the viaduct being considered unsafe for traffic, all vehicles have to proceed to and from Northland via Tinakorl Road and Glenmore Street. The bus service to Northland was maintained under similar circumstances, the passengers transhipping at either side Of the viaduct, across which they walked. Bus and tram services will be run on similar lines to-day. Slips at- Brooklyn. Last night a number of small clips occurred on the bank where the road has been widened on the way up to Brooklyn, and at a late hour had encroached to within a couple of feet of the tramway. Several small slips occurred in Rakau Road, Hataitai, the mullock causing the road to be flooded for about forty yards. Slip in Wairarapa. A small slip which came down on the railway line about three-quarters of a mils north Mangemfthfta an. thn.

Wairarapa line, had the effect of making the Woodville-Wellington train an hour and a half late in arriving here. The slip has been cleared.

ROUGH SEA IN HARBOUR DOCTOR’S BOAT PUTS BACK LINER’S BERTH CHANGED An exceptionally heavy sea was running in the harbour yesterday, and when the Government steamer Janie Seddon went out with the port health officer and Customs officials at 7.30 a.m. to board the liner Mataroa in the stream, it was impossible to get alongside the big vessel. The Janie Seddon was tossed about like a cork, so. it was deemed advisable to return to the wharf. The Shaw, Savill and Albion Company requested Captain Kershaw to move the Mataroa to a more sheltered anchorage, so he took his vessel in towards Oriental Bay, where at 11 a.m. the Janie Seddon was able to get safely alongside, and the port health officer and Customs officials were transferred to the Mataroa. The southerly gale raged with such violence that the harbourmaster (Captain J. Dawson) decided to berth the Mataroa at the Taranaki Street Wharf instead of the King's Wharf, which was more exposed to the full force of the wind. The Mataroa got alongside the Taranaki Street Wharf shortly before 2 p.m. A considerable number of people who went to the wharf to meet friends who were arriving by the Mataroa, presented a somewhat bedraggled appearance in the driving rain. The steady downpour hampered the landing of luggage, and though the Mataroa brought no cargo for Wellington it was found necessary, to postpone her departure for Port Chalmers until 4 p.m. to-day, instead of' yesterday afternoon.

SHIPPING HELD UP Yesterday’s heavy southerly gale and continuous rain prevented any cargo being worked in port and again delayed the departure of any of the coastal shipping. The Totara, which left here on Wednesday for Timarn, was unable to force her way through the smother at the Heads and anchored for shelter in Worser Bay. Even there she, dragged her anchors and shortly after mid-day yesterday she returned to port. The Tamahine received the full force of the gale in Cook Strait and did not arrive in port until shortly before 9 o’clock last night, while the coastal steamer Gale, which arrived ■shortly after 3. p.m. from Lyttelton, also received a battering. The ferry steamer Maori left at her usual time for Lyttelton, but the departure of the Arahura for Nelson was postponed till midnight. WEATHER OFFICE REPORT IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED. “During the past three days the weather in the Dominion has been dominated by an extensive cyclone, the central part of which has been covering the northern portions of the North Island,” stated the Meteorological Office yesterday. “There have been two centres connected with this disturbance and yesterday one of these was situated over the Auckland peninsula. The other was situated to the east of East Cape. On account of a small antl-cyclone in force at the same time in the far south pressure gradients considerably steepened. During Wednesday night sbme strong southerly gales were experienced, more especially in the central regions. “At Wellington the maximum gust for the 24 hours preceding 9.30 a.m. today was at the rate of 52 miles per hour. This occurred at about 8.15 a.m. on Thursday. At the observatory 136 points of rain were registered. Except in Western Otago, where. it has been mainly fair to cloudy, rain has been, fairly general and heavy iJ in parts of the North Island and the north-eastern districts of the South. The continuous falls caused rivers to become flooded. Foxton and Blenheim report high floods, but at the latter place at 9 a.m. the river was said to be falling.” East Cape Thunderstorm.

“At East Cape there was a thunderstorm between 6 p.m. on Wednesday and 3 a.m. on Thursday and a total of 165 points of rain fell there. East Cape at 4 p.m. on Wednesday lay between the two centres and it was to be expected that unpleasant conditions would be experienced there. “By 9 a.m. to-day the cyclone had at last begun to move eastwards, but it was still within effective range of the Dominion and pressures were still low over the North Island. Strong southerly winds, reaching gale force at places, are therefore to be expected and some further heavy falls on the East Coast between East Cape and Kaikoura. The wind should gradually moderate and, conditions become less severe shortly.”

FOXTON-LEVIN ROAD UNDER WATER Dominion Special Service. Foxton, November 1. Last night the Manawatu River broke through the flood bank at Poplar and inundated the Mouton. The river also overflowed its banks at the bridge and the road was under water from the Poplar • Road onwards. Settlers found it necessary in many parts to remove their stock from the flooded or threatened area. In the early morning the water commenced to recede and a drop of one foot was noticed in the height of the river, but the rain is still falling in many parts and there is still a big possibility of a large flood.

The Foxton-Levin road was under water on the Levin side of the Wliiroklno bridge this afternoon, and this area was filling rapidly and threatens to block completely the highway. The Koputaroa district is under water and in some places the water On the road is fairly deep. In one place it was up to the floor boards of a lorry negotiating this highway.