Torrent Dammed by Log Jam

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 46, 24 February 1938, Page 7

Torrent Dammed by Log Jam

Cause of Kopuawhara Disaster MINISTER ESTIMATES DAMAGE AT £50,000 Per Preae Association. WAIROA, Feb. 23. "The estimated damage in the disaster at Kopuawhara on Saturday morning is in the vicinity of £50,000, and will no doubt add three months to the time taken to complete that section of the East Coast railway.” This information was given last night by the Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, after he returned from the scene of the disaster. "Men will be taken off their ordinary work to repair the damage," he said. "Those who have been through the disaster at Kopuawhara will be given a fortnight’s holiday on full pay to enable them to recuperate. "Between No. 4 and 5 camps a blockage took place,” continued Mr. Semple. "When the logs came down the watercourse at terrific speed, they jammed and formed a temporary reservoir which was broken away by the rush of the torrent, which swept on to the camp. At a rough estimate, the bends of the creek could be jumped across in places at normal times. The place where the torrent checked the volume of water was some 30 feet above the normal flow. It was something that had never happened in that locality in men’s living memory. As a matter of fact, a totara tree near the kitchen in the camp took fully 200 years to grow to the size it was. If such a flood had happened before, the tree would have been destroyed, v In a Safe Place. "The camp was situated in a safe place, hoving been established there eight years, when the lins was going through before. At a bend just above the camp, when the water broke away, it came down at a terrific speed, feet high, struck the bend and, instead of continuing on its normal course, surged on a new one behind the csjnp. The great volume of water went that way, while the overflow continued on the normal course, thus forming an island on which the men were marooned. The river, back to normal, has resumed its flow in the old channel. One could never imagine so much damage possible in such a short time until one saw for oneself. Huge trees were found 30 feet above the normal river. It was just the same as a huge reservoir bursting. “I am positive in my own mind,” continued Mr. Semple, "that the water broke away suddenly and wrought the damage. The poor people never had a chance. It was th* same as being caught in a tidal wave. "The acts of heroism on the part of the men who survived were in keeping with the true Britisher, who, when trouble comes, is called upon to risk ais own life to save his mates. "Mrs. Cameron, in charge of the cookhouse, acted the part of a heroine. The Maori boys sang songs on the rooftops to take the sense of danger away from those who were with them. The numerous stories of heroism make one proud, while many of the tales will never be known. “I desire to convey my thanks, and :he thanks of the Government, to the police for the wonderful work they did. They never spared themselves a minute. Of the workmen, I would say, ‘Thank God there are such men alive.’ "The Government will take full responsibility for any assistance necessary,” Mr. Semple said. "I am convinced in my own mind the statement I made in Wellington, that no blame can be attached to anybody. It was one one those unforeseen calamities, an act of God—over which we have no control. " I feel sad over the whole affair. The men were good, willing toilers, who were worth-while —the type New Zealand can’t afford to lose. I want to thank the tradesmen who risked their lives to see the people had food. God forbid such a disaster may come again in our time.” concluded Mr. Semple.

NOTHING LIKE IT FOR CENTURIES MINISTER INSPECTS DAMAGE AT BOYD’S CAMP GISBORNE, Last Night. Hon. R. Semple, in company with Mr. J. Wood, engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department, to-day inspected the site of Boyd’s camp which was obliterated by flood at the same time as the camp at Kopuawhara. Boyd’s camp is near the Gisborne end of the line, whereas Kopuawhara is only a few miles from the southern end. At Boyd’s camp seven married couples with 16 children and several single men escaped in night attire as the flood descended in the Alaraetaha stream, one life being lost, a married man named William Robinson whose body is not yet recovered. Two bridges were also washed away. Standing on the bank of the Alaraetaha river beside the site of the concrete bridge which had been washed away, Air. Semple said that what ho had seen confirmed the conclusion he arrived at previously from a study of reports made to him in Wellington, that a cloud-burst had been the cause of the terrific amount of damage and appalling loss of life, and that nothing like it had happened in the history ot living man in New Zealand or perhaps centuries before. The evidence on both sides of tho hills proved that. Here close by was the new evidence of old fortifications used by the Maoris in defence against Te Kooti 68 years ago. These fortifications had never been silted up until this flood which was clear evidence that this had been a phenomenal flood. “This bridge which has been washed away had three steel and concrete spans each weighing about 50 tons,’ 7 added the Minister. “They were carried four chains down the river and they were not left on ehe river bed but thrown up on the bank. That will give some idea of the force of the water. The other bridge which was built of timber which was washed away, had been up for 25 years. The previous bridge on this site had been on exactly the same level and in the same position for about 40 years. What happened here also occurred on the other

side of the hills and it was the same cloud-burst. “The lucky thing is that the people here, subject to the same experience as those at Kopuawhara where a portion of the river was blocked before the water could find discharge, were able to get away on to high ground, whereas No. 4 camp at Kopuawhara had been inundated and the occupants trapped as the stream came down like a tidal wave. ’ 7

Referring to the preliminary estimate of £50,000 applied to the damage to the railway construction works in the Wai-kokopu-Gisborne area, Air. Semple stated that construction work on the line would be set back at least three months and probably more than that, while men were being taken from railway work to concentrate efforts on reparation of the flood damage. “I am pleased I have made this visit of inspection. I have now seen for myself what has happened. It has been ono of the saddest experiences of my life. The boys who are gone were representative of New Zealand’s best and they have left their mark in the heroism displayed in their last moments as well as in the work they accomplished. My investigation has convinced me beyond doubt that no blame is attached to anybody. As I have stated previously, it was an act of God,’ 7 Air. Semple added. The Minister further referred to the heroic efforts made by many of those who had perished in the Kopuawhara flood in trying to save the lives of others, and expressed deep sympathy for the relatives of deceased and encouragement to those who were left to go on with the job. “I have nothing but the highest praise for the engineering staff’s work, the energies of the police and the readiness with which trades people came to the rescue with food supplies, sometimes at considerable risk, for they had to traverse desolate hilltops. To all those I express the sincere gratitude of the Government, 77 Air. Semple stated. Referring again to the phenomenal nature of the flood, he said he had been told that tho oldest Alaoris living at the Gisborne end of the works maintained that nothing had ever happened in Alaori history to compare with the magnitude of the recent floods.