HUTT VALLEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 38, 14 February 1941, Page 8

HUTT VALLEY

HOUSE ENDANGERED

SEVERAL SLIPS

The Ilutt River continued to rise yesterday, attaining a level' of 13 feet above normal during the night. This level, though not dangerous, constitutes a high flood. The water fell rapidly this morning. Just what effect the flood has had' on the channel of the river will not be known until "the water subsides. : ' ./ . - ' . At. Belmont Mr. and Mrs. R. W, Jones had an anxious time during tha night. Their house, is the last house on the south dde o£ Richard Street, j which ends at the river bank. and.one '■ side of their property is the bank [itself.- Indeed, the boundary lies nearly, a chain.in the. river bed. Previous' to the present flood there was a clear, space of some 20 or. 30 feet between the south-east corner of their house ana the river. Erosion during this flood has reduced, this space to nine feet, so that very little further erosion would have undermined the corner of theirhome, which normally is some 15 feet above river level. The engineer of the Hutt River Board (Mr. H. SladdenV made an inspection of the property this morning, and if. further danger is anticipated will take, protective steps. Minor slips have come down on the Western Hutt Road, but these and the two major slips are being rapidly' removed 'and the road was open for traffic this morning. The road at Silyerstream w ( as under wat°r this morning and was closed for traffic, but the rapid fall of the river promises a speedy clearance. Slips on the: Akatarawa- Road have been sufficiently cleared to allow traffic through, but care must be exercised. There have been minor slips on the Mangoroa and Rimutaka JRoads, but these roads are open to traffic, though careful driving is necessary. Advice from Upper Hutt states thdt no reports of damage have been received.