KAIKOURA ISOLATED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18396, 11 May 1923, Page 8

KAIKOURA ISOLATED.

ONLY APPROACH ,BY SEA. TORRENT INUNDATES TOWN. ANGRY SEAS FOMENT TROUBLE. -> ' ■' . . . '. ':-■"'•"■•■'■■ [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHKISTCHUB.CH. Thursday. The roads and bridges throughout the Kaikoura district are, reported •to be greatly damaged, and many of them have boon washed away. Some people estimate that tho damage done so far totals, over £200,000. Kaikoura is isolated on the land side, being confined by Harlett's Creek on the north and the Kowai River on the south. The harbour is workable, and the Wakatu arrived at Lyttelton last evening from Kaikoura with mails and passengers. Two spans of the Clarence Bridge have been washed away, and the approaches to the Hapuka and Kowai Bridges have gone. All tho rivers and creeks rose rapidly on Monday to overflowing, and heavy seas prevented their easy flow., so that the flood water banked up and inundated tho town and surrounding country. Landslides occurred on the north road to Blenheim, and on the south road to Christchurch, blocking . the roads. The telegraph and telephone wires were also put out of action. Lyell Creek, fed from the overflowing Kowai and numerous tributaries, became a fast-running river, breaking into a wide mass of seething water. At the bridge entering the town it overflowed, and its effluent took a course through the west end. It ran to the office of the Dairy Company, washed as high as the door handle, and swept round Flower's Corner and on through the west end as far as Mr. Raymond Gibson's office, where, meeting the higher- ground, it turned again into the creek. There was a depth of 3ft. of water at Flower's Corner. Many shops and other premises were badly flooded, being inundated to a depth of about 4ft., resulting in much damage to stocks, etc. * A tremendous sea was running on Monday, and two small vessels went ashore in the west end. The flooded water was 18in. higher than any previous flood level. A number of families had to be rescued, and many suffered some privation. On Sunday and Monday nights tho electric light failed on account of the power house being 2ft. under water. West end residents were forced to seek refuge in hotels. Long Creek Sawmill was washed away, and hundreds of cords of wood, with an engine and sawbench, were lost. Linesmen have been landed at Kaikoura to repair lines. They are equipped with a harpoon gun to shoot wires across swollen streams. ■ t The rainfall so far is 25.8 in.

IN KAIAPOI WOOLLEN MILL.

EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.

LESS THAN ANTICIPATED. [BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.] | CHEISTCHURCH. Thursday. An inspection of the Kaiapoi Woollen Mills showed that, although considerable damage has been Cone, condition* were mucTr better than anticipated. In the engineer's workshop the ' water reached the large lathe, which was submerged to a depth of about 3fc. ,6in. Some tools in the workshop had also been reached'by the water, and will require attention before they. can be used again. The water entered the boiler-room-right under the fire-bars, but the precaution had been taken of drawing the fires and opening the safety., valves, b} which means any danger of an explosion was averted. The engine-room escaped altogether except for the main drivingwheel, part of which had been reached by the water, which entered the drivingroom pit. - It will be necessary to take apart, clean, and reassemble two rotary steam presses, one of which is quite new. Other machines will also require attention, The 'bases of 100 looms in the weaving department were the only. parts of these that were reached by the water, the blankets, tweeds and flannels which were being woven on them escaping suprisingly well. At its greatest depth the water In the weaving-room was 21in- The yarn-room was penetrated to a depth of Sin., but - little damage was suffered by the stock stored there. The twisting frames escaped well,' but the electric motor which drives them will need to be dried out before further use. • The burling and warping rooms also suffered to a very minor extent, but in the dye house there was 4ft. of water at one .time. The wool-sorting department was reach" by 6in. of water. In consequence the wool will have to be dried and sorte'd again. Some damage was also done in the wool store, whore it will be necessary to shift about 2400 bales of greasy wool in order to get at the bottom row. If not dried the wool might ignite through spontaneous combustion. Tho greater part of the stocks in the mill were lifted high enough above the water to escape damage. In the packing room alone several thousand - pounds worth were thus saved. It is stated that the present flood was 12Ain. higher than that of 1887. The mills resumed operations to-day in the carding, spinning, and milling departments, and it is expected that the rest, of the employees will be able to start again on Monday. The work of getting the flood water out of the buildings was efficiently carried out by the mill staff.

SPRING-CLEANING A TOWN.

SHELTER FOR REFUGEES.

fBY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH. Thursday. To-day was essentially ."cleaning day" in Kaiapof. The fire engine was em- | ployed in emptying collars. The authorij ties have cut several drains and openings through the embankment and draining has reduced the flooding considerably, bu£ it will be some weeks before the water from low-lying sections gets away. Many families are still being accomj modated in private houses, the techniI cal school, etc.. and some families cannot possibly return to their homes for some days." In the meantime, they are I being well looked after. Provision has I been made at the woollen mills and i freezing works for the drying of clothing, etc.