SEDDONVILLE SUFFERS SEVERELY BY FLOOD

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6954, 6 July 1929, Page 7

SEDDONVILLE SUFFERS SEVERELY BY FLOOD

Greater Damage Than ’Quake

Government Authorises Prompt Relief Pleasures

Evacuation of Women And Children to City HOMES PITIABLE SPECTACLE. RESIDENTS FORD RISING RIVER JUST IN TIME, Per Press Association. WESTPORT, Last Night. The damage done to Seddonyille bj the flood is considered very much greater than that suffered by the earth quake, although Seddonville was badly enough hit by the latter. Messrs Wimsett and Corby are amongst the heaviest losers. Mr Wimsett’s stock, which was valued at £IOOO, was absolutely ruined, and besides, his shop and house are badly damaged. Mr Wimsett pays a warm tribute to Constablo Robb, of Millerton,- who came and warned him and the Corby's to get out. Mr Wimsett wished to go back to his shop to get something for his baby, but the constable insisted that there was no time. They jusf managed to cross the fast-running flood in time, with the water up to the floor of the lorry. Had the lorry, stalled, all would probably have been drowned, as ten seconds later there' was, where they had been, a roaring torrent eight to ten feet deep.

Mariner Tells of Karamea’s Plight TOWN OF TAFFY ISOLATED. CONFIRMATION OF STORY OF LIFTING OCEAN BED. WELLINGTON. July 5. The scow Fairbufn has arrived from Karamea. Captain Sawyers says that the houses in Karamea are built of wood and did not suffer to the extent generally imagined, although no tanks and chimneys have been left standing. The ground opened in all directions, with thousands of slips, and some landslides a mile long. The wooden bridges suffered severely. All were wrecked, but one. The wooden wall in Che harbour is also down and the wharf is lying at all angles, the approach portion having been pushed through the main tee. Taffy, a town 20 miles away, with 200 or 300 inhabitants, is completely isolated, but endeavours are being made to cut a track through. The road to Westport is completely damaged. With regard to Mr Llewellyn’s report that tho ocean bed off Waimarie had risen, Captain Sawyers said that this was absolutely true. The land had risen close in shore and was really part of the foreshore. It was a mile and a-quarter long. Inland there was a big subsidence, the cavity being anything up to 100 feet. • The diphtheria outbreak reported at Karamea was not of a serious nature. So far as he was able to ascertain, there was only four cases, but there was a supply of anti-toxin on hand. There were enough provisions for ten days. The Fairburn will tako back provisions, but in addition the Nile is taking supplies.

Tho homes present a pitiable spectacle, as the people were dependent on tanks and wells for their water supply and the tanks have gone and the wells are filled with mad. They are in a bad plight, with no water save the dirty and muddy water of the river with which to wash out their homes. In the church, there is 12 to 18 inches of mud on the floor, and up to eight foot on the walls.

Many escaped from their homes only partially clad and found on their return that their clothing and furniture wore washed away. Mr G. C. Black, M.P., for Motueka, on receipt of a telephonic communication that the dam had burst on the Mokihinui: river, telegraphed to the Prime Minister, who replied as follows: “I very much regret to hear the news of the river and sincerely trust the results are not very serious. lam anxiously awaiting your further report." Mr H. E. Holland, wired: “Many thanks for your wire, also for taking a relief car to St. Helens and Seddonville. Wire if there- is anything I can do at this end towards assisting the residents out that way. Have also wired -the Mayor.” Mr Black, who was accompanied by Mr Mullan, County clerk, after returning this morning from Seddonville, despatched telegrams to the Prime Minister and Mr Holland, suggesting that arrangements be made for women and children who desire to journey to Christchurch, that 300 pairs of blankets be supplied, and stated that 100 men would be required in all in re-estab-lishing the settlement. .Sir Joseph Ward and Mr Holland have both replied, thanking Mr Black for his telograms. Arrangements have keen made for blankets to be supplied lor any women and children who desire to proceed to Christchurch and for the Public Works department to undertake a clean-up of the houses. Mr' Black and Mr G. Laurenson (Public Works engineer) to-day attended a meeting of the settlers’ committee, when, it was resolved that the rehabitation be undertaken by the Public Works department under Mr Laurenson. Mr Black promised to support Mr Holland in tho matter of securing a grant towards the re-cstablishmenl of the settlement, and pointed out that frpm • his experience of earthquake zones dpring the past 17 days, that any women or children of a nervous disposition should be evacuated beyond Westport, right out of the earthquake area. Arrangements have been made so that any refugee can travel to Christchurch without personal cost and receive billeting. Mr Smith, of the Salvation Army, has offered his services to the Prime Minister to escort parties to that city. Murchison Settlers Now Drifting Back 120 AGAIN IN OCCUPATION. SHAKE AT GLENHOPE SNAPS NEW CHIMNEYS

No Loss of Life in Seddonville Flood COMMUNICATION RESTORED. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Tho General Post Office advises that communication with Seddonville was restored this afternoon. The chief postmaster at Westport reports that no loss of life is reported at Seddonville and that a roll call shows that no ono is missing. Palmerston North Earthquake Fund £1214 RECEIVED. The Mayor’s earthquake relief fund, with yesterday’s contributions, now totals £1214 2s.

The Ashburton County council has voted £250 to tho earthquake fund. Tho Guardian list is now £9BO, the A. and P. and Farmers’ union joint appeal, £124 and tho Mount Hutt Road board’s (Methven) fund is £32. A street collection for earthquake relief is expected to Tealise over £7OO, states a Wellington message.

NELSON, Last Night. Generally speaking, the decided improvement in the conditions at Murchison has been well maintained. Thirty settlers arrived at Murchison to-day and proceeded to their holdings. It is estimated that about 120 settlers are back again and are already commencing the work of restoration on their farms. Mail cars are now running as usual to and from Murchison, carrying a good number of passengers. Newman Bros, intend to re-open their service to the West Coast over a new route through Maruia on July 15. Five out of seven chimneys which had just been rebuilt on the railway premises at Glenhope snapped off again at the roof during this morning’s shake, which was felt with some yiolenoe At Glenhope*,

West Coast Beaches Are Littered With Wreckage LANDING PLACES SPOILED. CHRISTCHURCH, July 4. Trees and wreckage that came down the rivers after the earthquake are now being thrown up on the beaches, ana the West Coast has practically lost its only landing grounds, according to Captain M. 'Buckley, who returned from

Westport last night. It was a piece of driftwood into which Captain H. B. Burrell’s Moth ran when ho was taxiing along the Karamea beach after landing. “The beaches are absolutely strewn with driftwood, and it is very hard to find a place to land at all," said Captain Buckley. Captaiu Burrell is flying back to Wigram Aerodrome from Westport to-day. Captain Buckley inspected possible landing grounds, and he considers it likely that Westport will have a landing ground of its own beforp long.

£ s d Previously acknowledged 1044 6 6 H. Akers 50 0 0 Collinson and CunningLame Ltd. and staff .. 38 11 0 Officers of Eefcnco Headquarters 10 0 0 Staff Dalgety and Oo. Palmerston North .. 6 0 0 M. H. Oram 5 5 0 Mr. and Mrs F. J. Oakley 5 5 0 D. S. Wylie 5 5 0 Mr and Mrs E. F. Tkwaites 5 0 0 Mr and Mrs A. Newton. 5 0 0 P. J. Mildon 5 0 0 Gasworks employees .. .. 3 10 0 Dahl’s Ltd 3 3 0 Mr and Mrs A. G. Dawick 2 2 0 0. Bonberg 2 2 0 Humphreys and Andrews Ltd 0 Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Winks 2 2 0 2 0 0 Mr and Mrs M. Madden i 1 0 B E. Toogood i 1 0 A. E. Milne i 1 0 E. Fisher i 1 0 Anonymous .. .. .. .. i 1 0 L. E. Bale i 1 0 D. H. Browning i 1 0 i 1 0 Bev. J. H. Bredin .. .. i 0 0 Miss J. Edgar .. .. .. i 0 0 Sympathiser i 0 0 Mrs A. Curtis i 0 0 Mrs E. Simpson i 0 0 Mrs Sohaw i 0 0 G. C. Hansen i 0 0 P.N. Eiver Board employees .. 38 0 10 0 Miss McLagan 10 6 Devon Bale 2 0 Total 1214 2 0