THE POVERTY BAY FLOODS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13235, 21 July 1906, Page 6

THE POVERTY BAY FLOODS.

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. . ANOTHER HEAVY DOWNPOUR. [by telegraph.—own" CORKKSPONDBNT.] . Gisbobne, Friday. Tub damage done by the flood at the Tapuhikatea sawmills, near Karaka,;. including the loss of ;.the bridge recently erected, amounts to £1500. 5 The tramway line is covered with silt to a depth of 4ft. The mill hands had to make a speedy escape to the hill country. '. : ;.V/': • '

Practical sympathy, with the sufferers by the flood has been shown by the Cook County Council, which had issued summonses against a number of settlers for arrears in ■ rates, ' but when ';, the cases. were called . on the county clerk intimated that in view of the losses by the flood the Council; did not intend proceeding • with the cases. Mr. Barton, S.M., expressed approval of the Council's • action, and adjourned the cases without the usual adjournment fees. '.

;;A; telephone message received late this afternoon stated that a great downpour of rain was taking place at Whatatutu. ■;

The weather again set in wet in town this

evening.

Messrs. W. D. Lysnar, Kelte, and Field, one of the sub-committees appointed to investigate the flood damage, Were out from Makaxaka to Waerenga-a-hika, via Bushlnere, to-day, and ascertained . that so far there are 16 families who require assistance, and that it will- take about £500 to rehabilitate them. ; . • .?■■■■''■.•'

.Subscriptions are coming in freely to the flood relief fund, which totals about £300, and for the Nicolas orphan relief fund fully an equal amount must liave been raised, whilst various projects are afoot to swell the total. , .' ' . ■ ';

Fifty men are now at work repairing' the damage to the railway line, and it is expected to havo the line ready for traffic on Monday or Tuesday.

The damage to county roads and bridges was brought up at to-day's meeting of the Cook County Council, and it was the unanimous opinion of members that Government aid should be ; invoked. Captain Tucker (county chairman) thought that the Government could 'be asked for aid to the extent of £5000. ■. i;-' ; '

The mill bridge referred to above gave way at eight p.m. on Monday, when the flood waters had risen sft above it. The immediate cause .was a big tree catching in the structure and - collecting, the floating debris until the combined weight was more than the bridge could stand. The bridge was considered to be' 7ft above the height that any previous flood had been known to ■reach. 1 ;'. ''■: , ■ '.;- : :■ " ; ;"--.'