N. CANTERBURY FLOODS

Grey River Argus, 29 August 1939, Page 9

N. CANTERBURY FLOODS

! Large Area Inundated CHRISTCHURCH, August 27. , The heavv rain of the last few cays has caused’ the rapid rise of rivers i in Nort h Canterbury and at K a ’k° aia where the worst flood since 1923 occurred yesterday. On Saturday, the 'Ashley ‘river at the Rangiora-Loburn I traffic bridge was running almost | bank to bank in full flood, and pronerties in some localities adjoining the Evre river had large areas under water at the week-end. The Eyre was running through the diversion into the Waimakariri for the first time this year, and all the fords were im--1 The Lyell creek, which runs into the «ea "a little above the Kaikoura County Council’s oilices, rose rapidly overnight on Saturday, and by yesterday morning the flat areas in the township were covered by about one loot to 18 inches of water. Water from the creek flooded about a dozen oilices and shops on the Beach road, which have their hack entrances facing the creek. The water ran right Jirough these premises and out on to <lr« Beach road, and lapped the steps ol’tlie Adelphi Hotel. The Takahanga Domain was also covered by a sheet of waler, and it. was reported by a t evident of Kaikoura last, night that water had also got into the power--o i o which is near the bank of the ”y Mi crock. The township was withom electric power yesterday. | I'owcver, the floou ijuickly subsided, when the rain eased about mid-day, and before long the water had run out of the shops and offices affected,| leaving behind a layer of mud and:

The mail car running from Kaikuiira to Waiau was unable to return io Kaikoura on Saturday afternoon because of the impassability of the ford at lhe Mason river which rose mpdly through the heavy rain. An ai.empt was made to ford the river again .yesterday, but the car became am-1: io Hie gravel, and had to be ntiled oui. However, the driver was

' llOi to proceed to Kaikoura bei.ne accumulation of gravel ’ti the car, and the vehicle was left on the bunk of the river last night. The mail front Waiau was taken to Kai-, koura by a local resident. , A report on the condition of roads in North Canterbury was made last night bv Mr L. D. P.ckles, chief service officer for the Automobile Association. Canterbury, who said that the slip at the Foster cutting, near the Hurunui bridge, was cleared yesterday, and the main road to Cheviot was now open. The coastal road to KaiKuura was open, but thJ inland road over the Whalesback was still blocked. The Lewis Pass road was quite passable, and on his trip back ftom Westport that day he had had no difficulty in fording the last three watercourses on the road. A number of farmers with properties bordering on the Ashley river were apparently advised early on Saturday that the river was rising rapidly at the gorge, and accordingly precautions were able to be taken in. removing stock from low areas. At one point in the river, about 20 sheep were marooned on an island, but it was stated that they were quite safe. It was the first flood in the Ashley for many months and the first since the stop-bank control scheme was completed in the early part of this year. The clearing of the riverbed, which was undertaken as part of the scheme was undoubtedly effective in the week-end in allowing the water to gel a quick passage to sea. The comment was made by Mr C. S. Ajers, deputy-chairman of the Ashley River Trust, that the flood was not a big one, and in the main would do good in clearing out the channel and consolidating the groins and embankments.

Apart from exceptionally heavy rain in the Lees Valley and foothills area, the fall on the plains north and south of Rangiora was also pronounced. A number of the subsidiary roads in the Rangiora and Eyre districts were in parts under a few inches of water, but not enough to affect traffic. Storm water also covered acres of farm land in the lower levels of the Rangiora and Eyre counties on Saturday afternoon when these districts were visited. Reports from the Eyre, Ashley and Oxford County Councils state that little or no damage has been done to loads in North Canterbury. A few minor slips had occurred in some places. Air R. J. Sharpe, clerk of the Oxford County Council, said that no report as to the state of the Lees Valley road had been received, but some j.amage was sure to have been done. The most serious damage was done between Waipara and Waikari, on the VVeka Pass. Here a bad slip on the new deviation forced motorists to take the old road over the hill.