HUGE BLOCK IN MANGAKAHIA

Northern Advocate, 5 February 1936, Page 6

HUGE BLOCK IN MANGAKAHIA

ACCESS THROUGH TO KAIKOHE YESTERDAY

Although traffic, was blocked, the main road through the Mangakahia Valley was not so seriously damaged as was generally anticipated. One huge slip obliterated the road near Murphy’s Flat, but a swarm of workers settled on it and the first car steered its way north Whangarei at 4 o’clock on Monday.' Yesterday, travellers were streaming through, the majority receiving a hand from the many workers engaged in the clearing. Most of the roads in the back country are badly blocked, but, owing to the disruption of telephonic communication, no definite advice can be ascertained. Meagre reports indicate that numerous slips are down but no mention has been made of lost bridges.

The roads seriously affected are: —

Those to Okaharau, Opouteke, Takitu, Haha, Kaimaro and Waimatenui. The last-named place is the location of the Public Works Department relief camp where, it is understood, the occupants of the camp will be some time in digging themselves out.

The Parakao-Kirikopuni road is blocked by a slip about a mile from Parakao. Fifteen of the gang engaged at Murphy’s Flat were to be transferred to this obstruction yesterday afternoon and it was hoped to have the road open by last evehing.

Biggest Block

The biggest, block is at Ruddell’s Slip, on the Whangarei side of Murphy’s Flat, 27 miles from Whangarei. Here a whole hillside rumbled across the road, and for three chains a solid mass of soft earth barred the way. Another two chains was not so seriously blocked, while a few yards towards Whangarei, the road subsided about eight feet, for half a chain. The work of restoring communication was undertaken by a special gang, mostly Maoris, dispatched by the Kaikohe Town Board. The work is under the supervision of Mr T. N. Blake, councillor for the Mangnkahia Riding, and Mr J. Hinton, the Kaikohe Town Board’s foreman.

On Monday Mr Hinton brought 20 Maoris by truck from Kaikohe, and, on the way down, cleared three minor slips at the northern end of the Valley. Twenty-five more Maoris were then picked up at Ararua, and the augmented party made straight for the big block at Murphy’s Flat. The Kaikohe Natives were supplemented by a big turnout of local settlers, and altogether at least eighty hands were engaged. * Settlers Lend a Hand.

The settlers in the vicinity were anxious to get their cream away to the Maungatapere factory, and realising that the main road would not be open for several hours, quickly set about laying down a subsidiary outlet. Teatree fascines and other consolidation work provided a virgin route below the main road, and, by this medium the cream was forwarded for manufacture.

Yesterday about 60, practically all Maoris, were still hard at it removing the mass of spoil. Mr Hinton brought back the Kaikohe-ites and those from Ararua.

The Subsidence.

The subsidence of the road above the slip is being rectified today. Truck loads of spawls are being unloaded into the affected sections. The depressions did not stop ti’affic. » The road at Ruddell’s slip has for years caused trouble, and is certain to provide more. Previously, it was the road that gave-way, but now the hill on the top side is disgorging its contents. A glance over its side reveals ominous cracks, and it is certain that any heavy rain will bring down more earth, which must hold up traffic. Two bridges at the Kaikohe extremity of the valley were in need of repair, and received the necessary attention on Monday morning. Mr Hinton and his men had to fix the bridge near the Tung Oil plantation and also Killen’s Bridge which was gouged out at one end, b’efore they could reach the big block at Ruddell’s slip.

' Yesterday, the road to Kaikohe was i clear. Other Aspects. j The Wairua River yesterday was still swollen, being fed by the Hikurangi swamp. Back-water lies on the property of Messrs B. Alexander, W. Holster and S. Draffin, while on Monday morning cars had to plough, through a foot of water at Thorpe’s [ Dip. The flood at Fraser’s Flat was a par- | ticularly heavy one. Logs and debris j indicate that the water must have j been 15 feet deep over the road. Mr Pearson was a victim of the overflow. His house had several feet of water in it, and much damage was done. A maize plantation was ruined and pig troughs and fence posts and battens were littered on the road. At Oue, marks showed that there had been 10 feet of water over the road.

The first cream delivered to the Maungatapere factory from the Mangakahia Valley since Saturday arrived yesterday morning. The water in the Wairua Power Station exceeded the 1917 record by 14 inches. The gauge at the Maungatapere school showed a fall of 11.29 inches for the 24 hours from 9 o’clock on Saturday morning. Mr Jack Linnell, collecting cream for the Maungatapere factory, negotiated the Wheki Valley road -in his truck on Monday afternoon.