POSITION STILL BAD

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 50, 28 February 1945, Page 4

POSITION STILL BAD

COAL SUPPLIES SUFFER

PA. DUNEDIN, February 27. A dramatic struggle to avert final disaster is in progress at Kaitangata, where the flood waters are still rising. A break in the floodgates on the outlet stream from Kaitangata Lake becomes hourly more likely as the leyel of the flood creeps up. A gain of about eight inches was made by the water in 24 hours to midday today and it may soon be across the last remaining road giving access to the town, thereby cutting off the trickle of supplies of coal to Dunedin, where the shortage is still acute.

At the floodgates a big number of workmen are engaged in building fascines and rock walls to protect the crumbling banks of the swollen stream. Big lumps of bank soil fall in the swirling waters at intervals, threatening to permit the flood to undermine the gates. If this big concrete structure should be washed away, it would inevitably cause the collapse of the bridge over the road a chain below, and cut off road access to the town.

The water is steadily approaching the dairy factory and the manager's house beside the lock, an outhouse having already been engulfed.

At the scene of the original breach in the bank of the Molyneux River it has not yet been possible to do much towards closing the gap. Though falling, the river is still in flood, and it is estimated that up to one-third of its huge volume is pouring into the flooded area.

The flood now extends over an area nine miles by five miles, including the Stirling, Benhar, Lovell's Flat, and Kaitangata district*, in an unbroken sheet.

As the result of carrying coal by motor-trucks from the Kaitangata mine to Stirling, about 110 tons were brought to Dunedin this morning, making possible the relief of a desperate situation at the Dunedin Hospital and certain essential industries, but leaving very little for domestic requirements. As there is no prospect of any improvement in the position for at least a week, strict rationing will be necessary, and domestic consumers can expect only the most meagre supplies. Loss of crops and winter feed in the area will be enormous, and it will be a considerable time before the stock removed from the area can return.