OTAMATEA DAMAGE, £2500

Northern Advocate, 7 February 1936, Page 5

OTAMATEA DAMAGE, £2500

[Special to "Northern Advocate ”1 PAPAROA, This Day.

Mow that sufficient time has elapsed, since the disastrous flood over last week-end, for a detailed survey of the damage in the Otamatea county, a rough estimate of the' amount required for repairs can be given. It is estimated that a sum approximating the £2500 mark will have to be expended to bring reading and bridging conditions back to normal. One of the heaviest items of expense will be the re-metalling of several of the roads, where the swirling torrents swept the surfaces clear of all loose metal.

In this respect the county is fortunate in one way, in that the Paparoa creek has piled up hundreds of yards of good river shingle below the bridge at the bottom of Trounson’s Hill in Paparoa. The metal is easily accessible and will prove of great help in metalling the roads needing repairs in the vicinity of Paparoa.

A Peculiar Feature.

A peculiar feature of the storm is now becoming manifest. All over the district, tredS, hedges and the finer sorts of English grasses, and, in some cases even paspalum, are rapidly drying up and turning black. The general opinion is that the storms raging on the West Coast raised clouds of salt spray, which was swept inland by the gale to the detriment of all green stuff on its route.

On the Ruawai flats the withering of the English grasses is particularly noticeable and settlers are definitely worried as to whether the grass has been killed!

Around Paparoa all the poplar trees arc turning black and fruit trees in the majority of the orchards are suffering similarly.

The worst sufferers, as a result of the salt spray and the flood, are the Ruswai settlers, who lost all their maize and potato crops.

Paddocks are covered with a deposit of silt, and it is too late for the ground to dry again before the winter sets in. A few showers will be sufficient to keep the turf j> and concern is being expressed at the possibility of a shortage of feed in the autumn months.

The flats at Ruawai were covered for days after the higher country was clear of afi flood water, and the giound, as a result, has received a thorough soaking, which only a long spell of hot weather can dry out again and give the paspalum a chance to ccme away once more.

WHANGAROA FIGURE

[.Special to "Northern Advocate ”J KAEO, This Day.

Damage exceeding the £IOOO mark was done to the various roads of the Whangaroa county by the flood, which was the largest on record. Repairs are now well under way, and the main road is almost back to its normal condition* although the Waiare-Qkaihau Road will be impassable for some time, owing to a large slip near the Opokorua junction. The Pupuke bridge was severely damaged, but temporary repairs have been effected. The Otangaroa Road suffered severely from slips, 2,500 yards being the estimated amount of fallen earth.

The exceptionally high water also considerably damaged private property, stock of different kinds being washed cut to sea in the early morning.