SEVERE DAMAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20184, 29 February 1940, Page 7

SEVERE DAMAGE

WANGANUI FLOODS HOLE SMASHED IN JETTY SETTLEMENTS ISOLATED BRIDGES DEMOLISHED (Pur Press Association.) WANGANUI, this day. Estimates of damage caused by Saturday’s rain and Sunday’s floods show that much costly repair work lies ahead in Wanganui. It is estimated that it may take at least a month to repair the damage to the N&w Zealand Refrigerating Company’s conveyor jetty at Imlay which was damaged early on Sunday when struck by the Wanganui Gravel Co.’s run-away barge and subsided later in the day when a gap of 100 ft. was left. Meantime, it will be impossible to do any lightering from the works and meat for. overseas will have to be railed to either Wellington or New Plymouth. It will be necessary to drive two sets of piles in the gap, the original piles having- been torn away. Because the Wanganui River road is impassable beyond Parikino, traffic between Wanganui and Pipiriki will have to be carried by river for several weeks at least. River boats will leave Wanganui every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for Pipiriki, down trips being made Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This service will give access to the settlers who would otherwise be isolated. Passengers for Pipiriki will be taken as far as Parikino by bus and will board the steamer, thus saving about two hours on the trip from Wanganui. Reserve Under Silt

The superintendent of reserves, Mr. S. I. Cox, said to-day that many valuable trees and plants in the riverside esplanade had been ruined, the milelong reserve being covered in silt in some places sft. deep, while deep channels had been scoured in the pathways. “The whole esplanade beggars description and until I am able to get into it and make a proper inspection I am unable to say what the damage is.” “The rhododendron borders azaleas and roses have all been buried and will be lost and' the bamboo plants have been bent down and covered. Many valuable trees planted 15 years or more will probably die because of the water lying in tho esplanade.” Damage has also been done at Ararnoho Park, particularly to paths along the river bank which have been buried and will have to be remade. Two feet of silt has been deposited in the southern portion of the motor camp. The whole of the gardens on the riverfront near the town bridge have been obliterated. Engineers of the Public Works Department are unable to estimate the damage to the Wanganui River road which is badly blocked north of Atone. Fillings are said to have been washed away and there are many slips. Bridges Washed Away Mr. F. Hermans said that settlers in the Ruatiti district were isolated because the Manganui-a-Teao bridge has been, washed away. Roads in tho Mangatiti district are badly blocked with slips and telephone communication has been interrupted. Three of the Rangitikei county bridges have been washed away. Two others washed away were the Hautawa bridge, near Mr. T. A. Duncan’s Otairi station, where there is also a big washout, and Morton’s suspension bridge over the Turakina River, about two miles below the Otairi structure, about 130 ft. long, and the 70ft. bridge over the Mangapapa stream on the Fukemapu road between Mataroa and Otairi. Mr. T. A. Duncan, Otairi station, said said the Turakina River was running 10ft. higher than he had previously seen it. Some of the up-country settlers reported that the Turakina River rose 20ft. in an hour. There was little time to move livestock from the fiats to the hills. Mr. J. D. Lilburn lost valuable stud sheep.

More than 100 settlers were isolated from Raetihi when the Manganui-o-Teao bridge was washed away. Much damage was caused to roads and bridges in the Ruatiti and Mangatiti districts. A mob of 800 sheep left at the lower end of Mangapuroa Valley on Saturday were marooned between slips and washouts. It may be several weeks before the animals can be rescued. More than six inches of rain were recorded in Raetihi between early on Friday night to late on Saturday. From 9 a.m. on Saturday till the rain stopped at midnight the fall was 4.07 inches.