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DAMAGE AT INGLEWOOD

Town Hit by Gale of Terrific Velocity MANY BUILDINGS UNROOFED WORST STORM IN HISTORY A storm of very severe intensity hit Inglewood at 11.15 o’clock on Tuesday night. Pain came dow r n in torrents and the wind w T as of such high velocity that buildings -were shaken as if by an earthquake. Wireless poles in great numbers were blown down and fences were razed. Verandahs also suffered. The rainfall reading was 3.8 inches for 24 hours ending 9 o’clock yesterday morning.

Mr A. H. Reesby’s garage was severely damaged. The roof "was blown off and deposited on his residence, breaking window’s and bringing the electric wires down.

Mr Burnip’s residence presents a wrecked appearance. The large fowl sheds were completely unroofed and ,were thrown across the house, breaking wireless poles and chimneys. The debris was deposited on the road and all over the adjoining properties.

HOTEL, BOOMS FLOODED. The Inglewood Hofei liad three rooms flooded through windows being blown in. Large cross-stays on the high tank stands were thrown across the yard. Hoardings were blown down, and sheets of iron and pieces of tin lie scattered all over the town. Did residents state that it is the worst storm in the history of Inglewood.

There was another heavy Tainfall in the Durham Boad district. The Ngatoronui River reached a height only 18 inches below the level of the February flood, about 20 feet last night. No damage is reported, settlers stating that all property on structures near the river were wmshed away in the previous flood. However, repair work has been made more difficult.

The Ngatoronui was still very high yesterday morning. It rose rapidly, as in the’ February flood, but is now regaining a more normal level as it did on the previous occasion. The floodwater -was yellow with clay and several men of the district are of the opinion that there nas been a big slip in the bush through which the Ngatoronui flows. It is feared that the water is backing up behind this.

HATCHERIES ESCAPE. The Taranaki Acclimatisation Society’s hatcheries at Durham Boad again escaped undamaged, though they are on the banks of the river.

It also appears likely that the block of farm? country under the mountain, south of the main road, has suffered flood damage, though information cannot be obtained. A cream collector for the Mangorei Dairy Company reported this morning that the Alfred Boad, three miles from the main road, was completely impassable. The culvert over the Waiwakaiho River is down, and at the point the lorry-driver reached the road was scoured and covered with huge rata logs. As the river runs alongside the road for a considerable distance it is thought that the road is badly damaged. The flood waters here swept across Mr Willow’s farm.

Kaponga Damage Inspection CLEARING OF OBSTRUCTIONS Further inspection of Wednesday morning’s flood damage indicate that the overflow of the electricity department ’s dam took place with dramatic suddenness and the "waters subsided with equal suddenness. At midnight, although the gutters contained a considerable amount of water there Avas no sign of the overflow from the dam, but within a very short time the rushing waters had made their way into the town, spreading everyAvhere a deposit of silt, sand and rubbish. Just before 1 o’clock, when the electrical engineer (Mr A. W. Anderson) and his staff arrived at the dam the overflow had ceased, and the water had subsided several inches. The staff -was occupied from then on until early morning in an endeavour to clear the obstructions which interfered Avith the A.C. supply. A later inspection disclosed considerable damage to the screen in the screening chamber at the intake of the dam and the A.C. plant will be closed down for about a Aveek Avhilst repairs are effected. No incon\ r enience AA’ill be caused to consumers, how-ever, as bulk power will be available for the carry-over period. Considerable minor damage was done to the electricity department’s outfit by extensive silting and deposits of timber and rubbish at both dams and it is estimated that the damage will result in a considerable financial loss to the department. The flood waters appear to have tapered off Avhen reaching the southern side of 'the Manaia Road, the water marks finishing round about this area. Water overflowed across the footpath in front of the Post Office and right down the full length of the section adjoining the office on the eastern side leaving a heavy deposit of silt and mud.

In a little over a month the Oxford Road dairy factory has been flooded by the Mangatete Stream three times, Avater again invading the boiler and salt rooms to a depth of two feet six inches. The Wiremu Road is scouted out and is impassable, Avhile the Mangahume Stream bridge is seriously menaced by erosion near one approach. At the New Plymouth Borough Council’s hydro works at Mangorei the

Waiwakaiho River again overflowed its hanks and reached a point within two feet of the flood of February 22. The rainfall at New Plymouth for the 24 hours ending at 7.30 yesterday morning was 2.01 inches, most -of which fell between 8.30 and 11 o’clock on Tuesday night. The only major damage within the New Plymouth borough was caused by the Huatoki Stream on the Carrington Boad. When a section of the footpath -was scoured out last month a rock, netting and soil filling was constructed. Part of this was scoured out, leaving a gaping hole in the footpath. The sump was unable to cope with the rush of water from both directions, and this morning eight inches of sand and silt showed where the water hacked up.

OXFORD FACTORY INVADED. A depth of two feet six inches of water again invaded the Oxford factory at Okato, hut little damage remained to be done. The river rose rapidly, but precautions prevented damage in the making room, where the door had been again barricaded. At 11 p.m. the Mangatete River was at its normal level, but ten minutes later it was threatening to hurst its banks. The rapid,rise continued, and at 11.25 two and a-half feet of water lay on the floor of the boiler and salt rooms, with the factory yard completely submerged. With the door of the making room barricaded, the floor was just covered with water, while in the neighbouring room the salt was placed out of reach of the flood and only a few pounds were lost. The Taranaki County Council’s roelc embankment higher up the stream was not completed, and part of it was carried away. The north approach to the bridge near the factory was washed out. One concrete wing dropped away into the stream, and the other is seriously cracked.

Eltham Without Water INTAKE PIPE BLOCKED Owing to a blockage at the intake caused by the heavy fall of rain op. Tuesday evening, the Eltham Borough was without water most of yesterday. The rain caused stones and debris to accumulate at the intake grating, completely stopping the water from entering the intake. Mr I. J. Bridger stated that this was the first time in the history of the borough that the water works had completely refused to function. There was no guarantee that it would not occur again, and the only remedy that could be taken to stop such an occurrence would be for the borough to erect a reservoir or for the construction of two settling tanks. Both these schemes involved very heavy expenditure and a small borough like Eltham could hardly stand such an expense. The lack of water caused a considerable amount of inconvenience, especially to the two local hospitals, the bacon factory and the New Zealand Rennet Company, all of which depend upon the borough water supply. All the supply was received yesterday morning although the road bridge was impassable. A few yards downstream a few rocks were removed from the bed, and carts successfully negotiated the old ford. The pipe leading from the stream to the factory pump was twisted and cast up on dry land when the flood receded. It was placed back in the fiver, however, without difficulty. In the Egmont County two rivers broke their banks, doing considerable damage. The Waiau Stream burst' above the bridge on Wiremu Road and scoured a new course fully three chains away from the old bed. With half the abnormal flow of water passing through the new channel the Wiremu Road was seriously washed out, a gap a chain wide and eight feet deep now carrying the water through the roadway. The Mangahume Stream, south of Opunake, also altered its course and is seriously endangering the bridge on the main road. Even with lower river levels there is imminent danger of the stream breaking through behind the bridge. The Wiremu Road has been closed to all traffic until repairs can be effected, and arrangements are being made for the construction of a stone groyne near the Mangahume bridge.

WAIWAKAIHO IN FLOOD. The Waiwakaiho River rose considerably at the hydro-electric works at Mangorei, but there Avas little additional damage.

The stone protection wall placed on the bank of the Wahvakaiho aboA r e the hydro works had portions washed away, but undoubtedly saved further serious erosion. The Avater again swept over the bank-side paddocks of Mr King’s farm. A large amount of shingle was deposited in the tail-race and six men A\-ere engaged this morning in clearing this out. At the Mangorei dairy factory the Waiwakaiho once more reached the height of the road leading into the reserve and a further stretch of bank was eroded. Factory employees stated that the flood came down suddenly, wtih a roar, about 1 a.m. yesterday morning.

The Stratford and Whangamomona counties suffered vary little damage as a result of the rainfall, but the surface of the upper road from the Stratford mountain house to the plateau on the east side of Mount Egmont received slight damage. Early yesterday morning something in the nature of a cloud burst occurred on the eastern slopes of Mount Egmont, the fall for a short period being heavier Ehan that of last month. The high Avind which accompanied the rain made conditions worse. The surface of the road was scoured out in places, but it will bo open for through traffic to the plateau to-day.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAWST19350328.2.31

Bibliographic details

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 28 March 1935, Page 4

Word Count
1,732

DAMAGE AT INGLEWOOD Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 28 March 1935, Page 4

DAMAGE AT INGLEWOOD Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 28 March 1935, Page 4

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