MURCHISON TO-DAY

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1929, Page 2

MURCHISON TO-DAY

RESTORATION VERY SLOW. . A Nelson message says that it is nine weeks since the earthquake occurred, and Murchison still shows signs of the great disturbance of June 17th. Very few buildings have been completely repaired because the available skilled labour had to be spread as far a 9 possible to restore urgently needed temporary oomforts. Mr Stringer, of Nelson, carried out this work in the township, and the Public \Vorks Department employees are now ,'loing equally good service in the out- . lying districts, on the farming homes, but it will probably be another week before this work of partial restoration is completed. > Tep weeks is a long time for a settler to have to wait for the rehabiliation of his home, and there has been some, and doubtless there will be more, criticism and comment on the failure to cope with the position more promptly. Looking round for a. scapegoat it is considered that. the blame lies chiefly with the people of Murchison themselves for not organising sooner.

It was not until six weeks after the damage was done that the Public Works Department commenced to function on the restoration of homes. It is asserted that, had there been more prompt organisation in the Murchison district itself to hack uo the requests of the emergency committee, matters might have moved less lyThe same nojnlies to the townshm, and it is undoubtedly due entirely to the fact that the Nelson City Council and several others, acting ns a relief committee in Nelson, took time by the forelock, and hv sending men there to do the work the homes in the township were restored as soon as they were.

LACK OF ROADS- A GREAT HANDICAP. Coming to the question of roads, the, position, it is alleged., is not at a]l satisfactory. The Public' Works Department has had a most difficult task in •establishing and maintaining pom muni cation. Much of the main highway between the Gowan and Murphioq .requires a lot of attention and. many men had to he employed in keeping "the road open. The now tempararv highwav up the Matakitaki Valley is a difficult problem rt to cone with', hut the spfctlers are now complaining that sufficient/ attention is'not being given to the opening of thy by-roads. . ; The Public ..Works Department and the County Council have been husv onening up six-foot tracks, but although the intention was good the result has proved -both expensive and unsatisfactory. The idea of a pack track as’ a temporary means of access was all ’right at-'the moment, but the time has now arrived, and is ly overdue, when the widening of the road for regular traffic should be put in hand. ,

The butter factory was opened today, but only the main highway from the Gowan to Six-mile and a short section of the Matin’ Road have been completed for the collection of cream. Unless .the .opening of the roads for lorry traffic is immediately speeded up dairymen must inevitably suffer considerable loss and inconvenience.

HUGE SLIP STILL INTACT.

The blockage in the Maruia River has been reduced considerably bv the river cutting a new channel for itself. The general opinion is that at flood times several of the farms will still be affected. The huge slip in the Matdkitaki. River has defied the efforts of the water to cut a channel through the immense rock, which is too big to move. It would appear that the only means is to divert the river, either through a tunnel or to open a cut, if the farmlands now inundated are to be retrieved.

Un|der existing conditions Mr Lynch’s valuable farm is rendered absolutely unworkable. When even a fresh occurs the water submerges practically the whole of the flat about the homestead, and reaches. right up to the house, which was completely surrounded on June 17. There was also nearly 4ft of water in the milking shed, and all stock had to be removed to higher ground. Taking into account the total area of first-class land now under water, the value of the property involved would appear to fully warrant the releasing of the dam.

The -future of those settlers whose farms were rendered totally unworkable by earthquake destruction, or through total loss of road access, is still undecided. The Government has not yet given any indication of its intention, and the relief committee so far, has failed to elicit any information. Each seems to be' waiting for the other to move to provide some starting point for negotiations. In the meantime the settlers are quite in the dark as to what will finally hapoen. The relief committee has received many applications fer funds for the restoration of homes and other damage, and officers of the Lands and Public Works Department are busy assessing the damage as a guide to the committee when the applications are being dealt with. A considerable amount of work is involved in this direction, and much responsibility will devolve upon the committee when each individual case is being considered. The fact that the butter factory opened to-day, August 19, compared with August 20 last year, provides