FLOOD DAMAGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 4 December 1924, Page 7

FLOOD DAMAGE

IN WANGAPEKA AND MOTUPIKO

RIDINGS

APPLICATION FOR GOVEIINAJ 14NT GRANT

0 In reporting to tlie Waluica County '• Council to-day, tin; Kngtueui' (Mr " BreWstm') said :— * y The recent heavy ruins: lifivu caused > a considei'nble ainoulib of damage in Uw Noi'l'i*' Dully aresi. The footbridge tti j Doctor's Creek has been washed awav, and the ford lias been considerably bt'li- \ kei) up. If it is tlie intention of the ' Council to erect (I bridge ;ii this point, .1 would not l'ecoiiittletid Very giciit expenditure in repairing the ford as a teni> povary measure at £lO and to make perJ manent repairs £7O. Tlie stream between Doctor's Creek crossing and North's ford has eroded ' tlie bank at several points. The stream t should be diverted at, two places. Tlie , estimate for this work, including clean .' ing up ofroad, is £2OO. Tlie footbridge . at North's Ford bus HlsO been curried ftwiiy and to replace this would cost tip- . proximately £25.

The amount of fuuney expended oil roads in Mottipiko Riding in repairing flood damage for the past month; so as to allow traffic to pass, is £26 Bs. The estimated expenditure on main roads and main highways in the Motitpiko Riding for the current year, it£44o. The amount expended prior to to-day's payments is £362 5s Bd. The total estimate of flood damage, including amounts on to-dtiy'M pay-sheet is £235, and to meet this expenditure there is an amount of £77 14s 4d balance on estimates. Of course, a point that must not be lost sight of is, that the Highways Board and Public Works Department may contribute towards the cost of part of the works at the rate of £1 for £l. Applications have been invited for the position of roadman at Tapawera.

During the month some of the roads have suffered very badly through floods. On the Tadmor-Glenhope road the j props under the Cat Creek Bridge were i washed out, which necessitated tempor-1 ary repairs. There is £4OO of bridge loan money allocated to this bridge for re-construction, but as there is not an item on the Public Works Estimates for this bridge this year, the work of rebuilding must stand over, until next year. The estimated cost of re-construct-ing the bridge is £BOO. The Kohatu to Tophouso road has suffered severe damage at the Bluffs. A small bridge on the Kohatu side of the Bluffs was washed out. I estimate the replacing of this at £3O. The road at the foot of the Bluffa on the Tophouse side is completely blocked with slips, amounting to approximately 1500 cubic yards. The cost of removing the slip is estimated at £75.

There is also a huge slip on the Kt>rere to Hope Saddle section of the Mam | Highway. ,The cost of removing this and ntlier smaller obstructions on this road is £4Q. The allocation on the current year's' 'estimates for Wangapeka Riding,,is £SUO, but previous to to-ciay s payments this amount lias been over-ex-pended by £72 3s 7d, so I would be pleased if" the Council would direct mo relative to fiiiausiag the repair, of flood damage. Cr Berry man said in regard to flood damage ,they should approach the Government for. a grant. The Railway Department, too, should contribute ;is the water should b© diverted. If the road were protected by grasses, it might throw the, water on to the railway" line. He considered a conference should-be held. , Cr Drummond . said that the flood damage was in the Wangapeka and Motupiko ridings. He thought the Government should come to their aid. Efo moved tht the Engineer prepare '&u estimate of flood damage and ! apply to the Government for a grant, .Messrs Hudson and Atmore, M's.P., to be requested to further the matter. Cr. Berryman seconded. He said in regard to the slips on Tophouse road mentioned in the report, it had been stated by the late Engineer Hhat it would be cheaper to construct a, new road than contend with the slips. The motion was carried.