THE FLOODS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 105, 30 October 1935, Page 12

THE FLOODS

ROADS BLOCKED

BAIN CAUSES SLIPS

THE HUTT RIVER

With, an easing off of the rain, yes-' terday's floods in the Hutt and other j rivers had by this morning subsided considerably. At a late hour yesterday afternoon it was apparent that. the worst was over and, unless further heavy rain is experienced, there should be no_ more flooding. Apart from floods, a number of slips have partially or completely blocked some of the roads. The Akatarawa Road has suffered worst of all, slips extending over a stretch of three miles completely blocking it. On the Rimutaka Hill, slips at various places have necessitated one-way traffic in places. In the immediate vicinity of Wellington, however,. comparatively little damage has been done. The rain that has fallen has been generally welcomed by the farming community as a stimulus to growth, and if it is followed by some warm sunshine it should be very beneficial. SLIGHT DAMAGE AT HUTT HIGH SCHOOL. The Hutt River rose yesterday till the water just touched the 13ft mark. At 3 p.m. the flood commenced to subside and in the evening vehicles were able to negotiate the flooded depressions at Silverstream. This morning the level of the river stood at 7ft, or a drop of 6ft from yesterday's level. ,It is as yet too early to say what effect the flood has had upon the river channel, but so far as can be ascertained the whole of the River Board's protection works are unaffected. The benefit of the lowering of the channel of the river during recent years was most apparent, otherwise the present flood would have reached the danger point of the 1931 Easter flood, in which the water was in places within inches of the top of the stopbank. When the anticipated reclamation at the river mouth commences the channel will be lowered still further. The only trouble experienced by the River Board yesterday occurred at .the rear of the Hutt Valley High School, where a culvert draining the low-lying area passes through the stopbank into the river. The floodgate and a portion of the culvert collapsed, allowing the river water to flow back through the stopbank into the High School grounds. This area was rapidly flooded and.a stream of water some six inches deep flowed down St. Alban's Avenue, where it threatened to enter some of the houses. The board's staff, however, working strenuously, rapidly had the trouble under control by blocking the culvert with sandbags. Permanent repairs will be • effected when the flood subsides. Had not prompt measures been taken considerable damage would have been done. as the river was still eighteen inches higher than the water "on the other side of the bank after the repairs had been carried out.