Midnight Flood Drama

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 1423, 19 June 1936, Page 8

Midnight Flood Drama

Touch and go in Fight Against River SAND-BAGGING SAVES SITUATION Quite a little flood drama was enacted in the lower Makerua on Wednesday night when a gang of men, including neighbouring settlers whose farm lands were threatened, toiled unceasingly in an endeavour to prevent the 15-foot torment that was sweeping down tho Manawatu river from breaking through an eroded portion of the stopbank at Coley’s bend. Their efforts were, fortunately, successful in that, while they did not prevent the bank from giving way, they had held the water in check sufficiently long, that when it finally flowed through the peak of tho flood had passed and the loop stopbank recently built around the weak outer portion, was able to hold the deluge.

It was an anxious moment when the eroded outer stopbank gave way about midnight and the hollow between the two banks rapidly filled. Higher and higher rose the flood till it was within a foot of the top of the new Dans. Tncn the safety margin dwindled to inches and at one point, a little lower than'the rest, the water began to trickle over. Bags filled with earth wero rushed to the spot and the flow checked. Expressions of relief came when it was realised that the river had fallen just sufficiently for the new bank to stem the flood. But it was touch and go. But for the sand-bagging efforts of the afternoon and evening when the river was at its height, undoubtedly thousands of acres would have been inundated and hundreds of pounds in losses occasioned. The first to suffer would have been Mr. D. A. Coley whose farm adjoins the river where it sweeps around in a hairpin bend. The stopbank is some ten or 12 feet high so it is not very hard to imagine how deep the land would have been covered with water. When the bank gave way he immediately took steps to remove some of his - more valuable assets and was relieved to see that his experience was to bo nothing more than an anxious night. He told the “Times” yesterday that it was 5 a.m. before he felt that the danger had actually passed.

Tho flood has not been without its humorous side. Many settlers iu the Opiki area had anxious eyes cast in the direetioa of the lower Makerua and when daylight dawned yesterday morning, away in the distance could be seen a sheet of whiteness with cows standing waist-high in the midst of it. A cry of floods went quickly round but further investigation revealed that the visitation was nothing worse than a low-lying fog. It was unfortunate for settlers along Hamilton’s line that the stopbank being erected there had not been completed. There was only a gap of a few chains left when the flood came down

and poured through. Mr. H. N. McEwen had practically tho whole of his 200-acro farm covered for a short period on Wednesday evening but a great deal had disappeared by morning. Motorists had difficulty in negotiating tho main highway in the vicinity and several had to. push cars out. Mr, J. Mabey, of Campbell’s road, Opiki, was one ■of the unfortunates. He had to abandon his half-ton truck on Wednesday afternoon and leave it to the mercy of the flood waters. It was iu the vicinity of the Half Crown bend, near Tiakitahuna, that the water started to lap over the running boards and gradually covered the floor of tfio truck. Mr. Mabey returned to Palmerston North prior to setting out for tho high and dry lands of Opiki. One farmer in Opui road, Opiki, had to swim several head of cattlo to the safety of the flood protection banks, while ho himself was fortunate to escape a ducking in tho fast-filling excavations. Another, further down still, neglected to close a drain leading to tho river and on Wednesday morning had to do the usual milking operations in somo two feet of water.

Through it all, the supporters of the Opiki-Makerua highway will be pleased to learn that this route was not affected in any way by flood waters. Farmers on Opui road have many acres under water outside the flood protection banks. On Wednesday afternoon people crowded the banks to watch the sea of swirling foam-tossed waters. Huge trees and stumps were bobbing up and down like corks as they were borne swiftly down in tho current. A considerable area of the Mukupai estate at Tokomaru was flooded as a result of water getting througfi the unfinished portion of the new floodgate. “We Have Got Off Very Luckily” “So far we havo got off very luckily,” commented Trustee W. Jacksou at a meeting yesterday of the Makerua Drainage Board. Members generally agreed with' this comment, but the chairman (Mr. H. Seifert) said it should be remembered that more damage would bo revealed when the flood went down. The board decided that, if weather permits in August, it will sow grassseed over the temporary bank at Coley’s bend. Members tnought it would be unnecessary to fence the bank. The engineer is to be asked to take levels of the stopbank near the Poplar mill, with a view to having it strengthened. Nursing the Baby for February

MAKERUA BOARD EXPENDING LOAN MONEYS Whiie the flood waters were still being eyed with anxiety yesterday morning the Makerua Drainage Board, at its meeting in Palmerston North, considered a statement of the expenditure to date of money to be raised by loan to repair damage done by the storm flood iu February. The clerk reported that of the £SOOO loan for repairing flood damage, £.lOlO had so far been expended of the anti-

cipated sum of £SOOO. Three works were in progress, and items included wages, contract prices, cement, steel and other supplies. The totals to date were:— Coley's bend: £230 16s 2d. (Seifert's drain outlet: £lB3 Os 3d. Mukapai floodgate: £597 Os 7d . Total: £lOlO 17s. From Hon. Walter Nash came a letter stating that he had now conferred with Hon. R. Semple regarding the board’s proposal to raise £SOOO. The Government ’s attitude was to grant subsidies of up to £3 for £1 in genuine cases, and if the local body found it impossible to raise money by the ordinary channels, the Government would give every assistance and as a last resort would itself arrange the necessary finance. In the case of the Makcrua Board the maximum subsidy of £3 for £1 was being given, and tho Government was doing adequately its part of the difficult work rendered necessary by the recent storms. It was obvious, however, that the local authorities should do their utmost to carry out their share of the transaction. “Thcro is no doubt wo appreciate the assistance the Government has given us," said Trustee T. D. Lynch. Members agreed, and it was decided to record appreciation of what the Government had done by way of generous subsidy. Members considered the board would still have some difficulty in raising its share of the money. It was decided to apply for subsidy on the £lOlO already expended. New Loan Proposed.

There being no formal objections, the board decided to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for a loan of £I2OO, at not more than 3* per cent., with a sinking fund of not less than 3 per cent., for a period not exceeding 20 years. If this sanction is granted, a poll will then be taken. Whirokino Highway Blocked Running bank-high, the river Wednesday morning topped tho stop-bank in the Whirokino area and flowed over like a waterfall on the bend about halt a mile below the main highway bridge. Although up till the evening the road remained open to traffic, tho water throughout the night poured into the low-lying land south of Foxton and at 9 o’clock yesterday morning the LevinFoxton highway was rendered impassable, being covered to a depth of fully four feet. Water continued -to pour in at the main point of overflow, while tho river had also risen above the bank level just above the bridge, and it was expected that by the evening the highway would be hooded by at least seven feet of water, and it may be a fortnight before it will again be open to traffic.

Tho Shannon-Foxton road, by which all traffic between Levin and Foxton must proceed, was yesterday morning easily passable, although in tho flood zone bearing a foot of water.