SILT EVERYWHERE

Grey River Argus, 30 April 1938, Page 5

SILT EVERYWHERE

IN HAWKE’S BAY Flood Effects Disastrous [Per Press Association.] NAPIER, April 29. A tour of inspection through the Esk Valley yesterday revealed conditions unprecedented in the history of the district. It is fully as bad as reported earlier in the week. The whole valley is a sea of silt and wreckage. The floodwaters have receded leaving silt over everything, varying in depth from two to twelve feet.

Photographs taken yesterday show a man stepping off the silt to the roof of a house. Another shows mud and wreckage hiding the whole of a residence up to the eaves. The main road, recently re-surfaced with bitumen, is completely covered under feet of silt. At one point, it is almost possible to reach up and touch the telegraph wires. Fence wires, disappeared and the whole scene is one of utter desolation. It must be months before direct road communication with the north is restored. The removal of silt from farmlands is out of the question. The famers will have to start again on a surface of heavy silt deposit. MR SAVAGE'S COMMENT. WELLINGTON, April 29. “I wish to express my own sympathy, and that of the Government, with the sufferers,” said Mr Savage this evening, after being informed by Mr Webb and Mr Semple of the widespread and serious damage “Whatever is humanly possible for the Government to do to relieve the situation will be done. More has to be done than to straighten out the present difficulties. We have to look at the future as well. It will be someone’s job to make a complete investigation of the disaster, with a view to preventing a recurrence in Hawke’s Bay, and avoiding similar things happening in other district susceptible to flooding as well.” An inspection from the air of flood damage in Hawke’s Bay was made by the Minister for Mines (Hon. P C. Webb), who spent two hours over the damaged country in the Wellington Aero Club’s Whitney-Straight machine, piloted by Squadron Leader E. A. Gibson.

Mr Webb discussed the situation with the Minister for Public Works (Hon. R. Semple), who announced that steps were being taken to investigate cases of hardship, with p view to granting immediate relief, Mr Webb and Squadron-Leader Gibson left Wellington about 1 p.m.. and were back at Rongotai shortly after 4 o’clock, after flying over Napier and Hastings and the immediate surrounding country. They followed up the Esk Valey to the Matahoura railway viaduct on the east coast railway line, and back over Lake Tutira. They then followed the main highway to Tangoio, and on the return from northern Hawke’s Bay followed the coast back to Hastings. Mr Webb said no one could form any conception from the air. He felt sure that many owners of the hill land had no idea of the damage that had been caused in the back country. The flat parts of the Esk and Tangoio valleys were completely submerged.

MR SEMPLE’S STATEMENT.

WELLINGTON. April 28.

In an interview Mr Semple said that as a result of the inspection it was estimated that the damage to public works roads and bridges, exclusive of that to railway lines and suffered by counties, was £200,000. That was a rough estimate, which was the result of a very hurried examination-, Jndfeed, the amount might be a great deal more than that sum. It was impossible to estimate the damage to private property at present. The occurrence was one of the worst calamities that had befallen the Dominion, and from the point of view of loss of property, both public and private, the damage appeared to exceed that caused by the Napier earthquake. In many places fences were completely covered with silt, and some of the houses were full of silt up to the windows. Everything humanly possible would be done to give immediate relief, and to restore conditions to normal, said Mr Semple. Prompt action had been taken by the Government to deal with the situation. It seemed that it would be necessary to transfer men and plant from the east coast railway line, and to muster competent labour and modern equipment so as to give the maximum relief in the minimum time.

Mr Semple sent the following telegram to Mr W. L. Newnham, inspecting engineer of the Public Works Department, who is at present in Hawke’s Bay: Mr Webb and Mr Gibson have just returned from an inspection by air. The magnitude of the disaster is beyond anticipation. I suggest that you get in touch with the Hon. W. E. Barnard, M.P. for Napier and Mr E. L. Cullen, M.P. for Hawke’s Bay and local body representatives, at once, and advise them to form a relief committee whose job it will be to investigate all cases of hardship, with a view to giving immediate relief; and that you take charge of the committee on behalf of the Government. I also suggest that you get into communication at once with Air Mapping, Hastings, and instruct then: to make an aerial survey of the damaged area, and forward all necessary information to this office as soon as possible. The Government will stand the cost. Those people whose homes are affected may be employed to clean up the surroundings to give access, the cost to be met by the Government. Please co-operate with Mr A, Dinnie, District Engineer, Napier, in giving temporary access where practicable as soon as possible. I have arranged for a Baltin aeroplane to proceed to Hastings first thing tomorrow morning, which will be at you disposal for the delivery of foodstuffs, etc.