BURSTING OF DAMS IN THE PUKEKARORO BUSH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8268, 29 May 1890, Page 6

BURSTING OF DAMS IN THE PUKEKARORO BUSH.

Operations in the Pukekaroro tush until Wednesday, the 21st May, were beiig carried on with all the activity and busuess forethought characteristic of the pnprietary' (Messrs. Coates and Kendall) and tie various contractors and sub-contractors Icated in this famous kauri bush, none entertaining any suspicion that anything was Ikely to occur to mar the routine of every-da/ operations. Yet an event of a calamitous nature was swiftly approaching which was » burst asunder the once formidable barriers erected by skilful hands, and at a heavy cost, carry ing destruction and loss wherever its force was resisted. About ten am. on Wednesday, May 21st, a sharp report was heard by Mr. W. 8. Nicholson, who ai the time was engaged in conversation with Mr. C. Young. A few seconds later £ similar sound was heard by both these persms. one of them remarking that the dam had burst. Acting on their suspicious, Messrs. Young and Nicholson beat a hasty retreat, as in the event of such a catastrophe occurring their position could hardly be regarded a safe one. The prediction, so strangely arrived at, was, however, unfortunately too well substantiated by subsequent disclosures, for in a short time the tremendous rush of water, and the booming noise of logs madly driven hither and thither furnished the imagination with warrantable proof of the existence of a seeming tornado. When the waters had subsided, an examination of the cause and effects was instituted. Investigation proved that one-half of both dams had given way, the upper dam, it is supposed, being the first to break up, owing to a surcharge of water. The rush of water must then have broken the booms across the back-water of the receiving dam, thus forcing a large quantity of logs against this dam, which led to its being also carried away. A large quantity of the logs were subsequently driven on to Mr. A. Stewart's clearing, where they at, present remain. Several sections of the tram have become disjointed, while some of the bridges have been literally carried away. The men having been driven out of their camp, temporary quarters have been provided for them elsewhere. Some of the houses alongside the tram were seriously jeopardised, that occupied by Mr. Nicholson being half hidden in water. At the time of my visit, the whole surroundings presented a picture the reverse of cheerful, Though ordinary rain fell on Wednesday, the clay on which the mishap occurred, it is not credited with having caused the dire results alluded to. These are attributed to a waters] at a too convenient distance from the upper dam. Until a proper survev of the dams, etc., has taken place nothing like an exact estimate of the money loss can be arrived at. That it will be something very considerable goes without saying, without taking into consideration the general stoppage to remunerative labour and the inability of Messrs. (Joates and Kendall to furnish the Kauri Timber Company with the prescribed quantity of timber during the next three months. — [Pukekaroro Correspondent.]