COST OF FLOOD DAMAGE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 9 March 1935, Page 6

COST OF FLOOD DAMAGE

Estimated that the Repairs Will Cost Hawera £10,119 COUNTY ENGINEER’S SURVEY TANGAHOE SUFFERS MOST The estimated cost of damage done to roads and bridges in the Hawera County area is £10,119, according to a report submitted by the actingengineer, Mr F. Muggeri-dge, to the council this morning. The cost is made up as follows: —- Maben Road, £235; Tangahoe Valley, £4400; Morca, £I6S2; Makino, £200; Ohangai, £350; Pulieti, £620; AucklandWellington, £900; Ingaliape, £550; Noonan, £100; Whenuakura Valley, £962; Wliareroa Road, £l2O. Total, £10,119. On all roads affected, gangs were immediately organised and a start .made as far as possible to give outlet to those settlers on roads where bridges .were not washed away, stated the report In company with Mr Anderson, of the Public Works Department, an inspection has been made of the area affected.

Makino Road. —The road was blocked with slips from the Wharecoa Road to the bridge. Beyond the bridge f„' Mr Smith’s house the damage was more severe, large slips' were down and washouts had occurred, and the road nad underslipped in places. The bridge at Mr Larcom’s house had been damaged. The piles on the eastern side were carried away and one pile br -ken on the western side. Repairs were urgent to prevent the whole structure from falling into the creek. Puketi Road. —The bridge across the Mangemange Stream was washed away, the main structure being deposited west of tne Wliareroa Road. The formation on this road. had suffered little damage. Whareroa Road. —The truss across the Mangemange Stream was considerably damaged by floating timber. Braces were carried away and the bottom chord on the down stream side broken 'in half. Had it not been that this 'structure was understrutted it must also have been carried away. Temporary repairs were immediately effected, and timber and debris removed.

Ohangai Bridge.—At the height of the flood the truss across the Tangahoe river on the Ohangai Road was seven feet under the water from deck level. The structure received a -severe battering from floating timber, but on in. spection it was found that little structural damage was done. An enormous quantity of debris was left on the approaches when the water receded, making the road impassable to traffic. A large gang of men were employed and through good work on their part the road was opened to traffic at 10.30 p.m.

Auckland-Wellington Highway.—The truss across tne Tangahoe Stream was carried away. A search had been made in an endeavour to locate the structure, but no trace had been found. The work of erecting a temporary structure was now in hand.

Morca Road.—This road appeared to have suffered most. The saddle was blocked with -slips to the Makino Stream Bridge. From the bridge to Mr Robertson’s garage large slips had come down and washouts occurred. From there to Mr Doolc’s the road was very bad. Debris was lying upon one small bridge, and the creek blocked high with timber for chains on the upstream side. Serious washouts had occurred and large slips were down, diverting the Makino Stream, and forming a series of small lagoons. This section of road was quite impassable to traffic, the only access being through private mopertv. With the exc prion of the structure referred to all bridges were undamaged.

Whenuakura Valley.—Owing to the tunnel being blocked with timber, the large filling known as Wairiki had been washed out, and -slips were down on other sections of the road. A bridle track had oeen opened to give access to settlers. It was suggested that the council consider the advisability of timber on new burns in the catchment area.

Maben Road—Very little damage had been done on the north side of the Patea suspension bridge. On 1 the south side slips were down. The road had underslipped in places and three stock bridges carried away.

Tangahoe Valley Road.—This road was blocked at intervals for its full length, the most damage being caused on the saddles both sides of the tunnel. Owing to timber and debris blocking the water tunnels, one large filling was washed out near Air Patterson’s woolshed, and another between Afr Barkla’s and Air Larcom’s properties. Consider, able damage was caused to bridges. The Tangahoe truss, a small stringer bridge, and the R.S.J. Bridge at Air Hunter’s property were carried away. The latter was lying in two sections in the river and. could be salvaged.

The Iviritac Bridge -was undamaged. The Kotukutuku truss appeared to be little damaged, but an inspection could not be made owing to timber being stacked high on the upstream side and the structure covered with debris. The road tunnel was undamaged. The foreman, with the assistance of settlers, has cut a bridle track to the Patea River and, where necessary, constructed low level bridges on creeks running into tho Tangahoe.

Ingahapc Road. —The truss across the Noonan was down, being broken in half by the weight of timber left against the structure- when the water receded, An enormous quantity of timber had backed u,p for chains above the bridge, and unless it was removed

would be a serious menace to any future structure. Noonan Road. —The R.S.J. structure, on this road was damaged. The pier had been pushed bodily down-stream approximately three feet. The approaches were washed out on the Whakamara side, but repairs were quickly effected. The bridge was quite •safe for traffic, but would bo put back in its correct alignment as soon as possible.