FARMERS’ LOSSES

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 293, 6 September 1932, Page 10

FARMERS’ LOSSES

Stock, Fencing, Pasture WAIRARAPA FLOODS Land Will Ultimately Benefit repairing the damage Dominion Special Service. Masterton, September 5. Another day of sunshine and another drop in the level of the flood waters brought a m»re J IO P? f P l °“ t ‘ look for fanners in the flooded loner Wairarapa Valley to-day. All of them, big sheepfanners and small dairymen alike, are now busilly setting about the work of burying and burning dead stock, rescuing sheep and cattle still marooned on islets In the flood waters, and repairing broken fences. An admirable spirit of self-reliance and optimism has been evidenced by the settlers during the trying past few days, and the work of repairing the damage done is being set about with a Many farmers are unfortunately still finding further damage and further losses on their properties as the waters recede, and some are having difficulty in providing feed for their stock... It is now estimated that 1500 sheep and' 100 head of cattle have been lost on the Elgar estate, and the bulk of 2500 more sheep have to be accounted for, but it is certain that this is easily the biggest loss on any property in the valley. Portion of the property is still under water, and 400 head of cattle were removed to pastures elsewhere, today. The disposal of the bodies of the drowned animals is a problem, and prompt action is required, as they are rapidly putrefying, , The majority of the farmers are burning them; some are not troubling to remove the skins, which are practically worthless. ( Replacement of Fencing. The replacement of the miles of, fencing which have been washed down, is another big problem. The damage in this respect has occurred chiefly on' properties on the banks of the Ruamahanga River. Those farmers whose properties are on the lake shores, have been more fortunate, as the water there rose and spread lyThe Hon. A. D. McLeod, M.P; for Wairarapa, has arranged for fencing to be carried out by relief labour. Although there is an extreme shortage of grass at present, before long there should be a wonderful flush of spring feed. AU that is required are showers to wash away the silt and warm sunshine to bring away the grass. Unfortunately on some properties silting has been so severe that resowing will be necessary, but the bulk of the properties will ultimately benefit by the silting they have received. Some farmers already report that grass is coming away'rapidly. Remarkable growth has been experienced on . Mr. E. C. Holmes’s property at Te Hopai, and Mr. Holmes is grazing 500 ewes and 50 head of cattle on 30 acres of ground. The opinion that while stock losses and damage to properties were most ■nfortunate the extensive flooding would be of great benefit to the Lower ■ Valley, was expressed by Mr. Quentin ■ Donald, chairman of the South Wai- ' >arapa River Board, and a prominent sheep farmer, to-night. Valuable Top-dressing. The thorough soaking pastures had received would be of great benefit, he said, as the district had not yet recovered from the summer drought, and - in addition, except in some places where it had been carried to excess, the silting would provide a valuable top-dressing. “I think the country really wanted it,” Mr. Donald added, “and I think once the farmers put their fences up ’ again and the grass comes away we can look forward to a good season, a much better season, I think, than we could have looked forward to otherwise.” r Repairs at the washout on the bridge over the Tauherenlkau River at Fernside are now sufficiently advanced to allow rail traffic to be resumed after an interruption of a week. Engines are not allowed to cross the portion of the bridge which has been temporarily spanned, but kick a string, of carriages across to a waiting locomotive. Trains are quickly getting back to normal timetable. The floods have also make a scour in the northern approach to the railway bridge at Woodside, and the Railway Department has made arrangements for a gang of workmen to be put bn the necessary protection work there this week. Stopbank Overwhelmed. “It was an amazing sight,” stated a South Wairarapa resident who saw the swollen waters of the Raumahanga break through the stopbank at Kahutara. “The huge volume of water was running almost to the top of the bank,” he added, “when suddenly there was a roar and a erash, and the stop- ■ bank caved in before the turbid flow of water which swept over the adjacent low-lying country in a sheer wall. In what appeared to be only a few seconds the water rushed over a great area, submerging paddock after paddock with amazing rapidity. In many cases not even the tops of the fencing posts were left visible. There was a gap of only about 25 yards in the bank at first, but the force of the incoming water gradually widened the opening to about 200 yards.” A heavy loser as a result of the flood is Mr. A. V. Jury, whose property at Moiki, near Martinborough, was inundated for the first time for 36 years. On Sunday night he lost 400 ewes and lambs which had been docked the previous day and therefore could not be moved. Mr. Jury said that the dead sheep were being skinned and the carcases burnt. The fleeces, however, were so filled and coated with silt that they would be of little value. All but the homestead block of 250 acres on Mr. E. C. Holmes’s 2500-aere run “Te Hopai” at Pirinoa has been under water. Mr. Holmes, who has farmed in the district for thirty years and is a member of the River Board, stated that at their height the flood waters were two feet higher than te had ever seen them attain before. AU stopbank schemes in the district with the exception of one or two failed, but Mr. Holmes by prompt mustering got the whole of his stock on to the limited area of 250 acres. This necessitated fodder being brought in to the animals, and boatloads of hay were taken through the flood waters to them. Messages of Sympathy. The Mayor of Masterton, Mr. T. Jordan, forwarded tha following renlr to

a telegram of sympathy with flood sufferers received from his Excellency the Governor-General: “Wairarapa gratefully appreciates your kind message of last evening. We are always sensible of your continued personal Interest in our welfare.” Mr. Jordan has also received through the mayor, Mr. J. Vigor Brown, a message expressing the sympathy of the people of Napier, and has replied to it in suitable terms. A message was received on Saturday from the Red Cross Society, Wellington, asking whether a fund for relief of distressed settlers was contemplated, and offering to co-operate in every way possible. Mr. Jordan replied thanking the society for its offer and referring it to the Mayors of Martinborough and Featherston. FLOOD PROTECTION Deputation to Drainage Board ACTION IN MANAWATU Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, September 5. Seeking further assistance with regard to the prevention of further erosion at the rear of James Line Lagoon at the back of Rangiotu, a deputation, consisting,of Messrs. Harrison and Lett, of Rangiotu, waited on this mornings meeting bf the Manawatu Drainage The area is outside the drainage board’s area, but Mr. Harrison considered that the damage menaced the board’s properties and the properties ot settlers in the board’s district. • Mr. Tanner suggested that the board should confer with the Kairanga County Council on the question. The various local bodies should consider the question and then approach the Public Works Department to carry out oil work. After, a prolonged discussion it was decided that Messrs. J. A. Nash and J. Linklater, M.P.’s, should confer with members of the board, and representatives of the Public Work". Department this afternoon. '