MENACE OF FLOOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20840, 6 April 1931, Page 10

MENACE OF FLOOD.

II - ' [DEVELOPMENT AT OTAKI HIVER CUTS HEW COURSE. / —. WATER THREATENS TOWN. I 1 SOFT BANK A BARRIER. VALUABLE LAND ENGULFED I [r.Y TELEGRAPH.— own correspondent.] if WELLINGTON. Sunday. A serious position has been created by ♦ho flooded Otaki River, which has carved for itself a new course that threatens the town of Otaki in il'.e event of further floods, ii Only the railway embankment prevented tho river from sweeping right into tho town on Friday night. Yesterday morning, when tho water began to recede, the river was found In have washed away about 400 yards of its northern, bank at Rahui, and it is now

flowing «long a new course', a quarter of a mile wide, for about a mile and a-half. It now makes a northerly sweep to the racecourse and then flows due west until checked by tho railway embankment, which turns it south again to join its original courso The prevention of erosion of tho railway bank and protection against another flood • presents an engineering task of considerable magnitude. It is feared that with another flood tho river will deviate through tho racecourse and by the Rahui dairy factory, then descend on tho town by way Mill Road. Entire Crops Destroyed. Hundreds of acres of valuable land have been engulfed. Several vegetable nrid market gardeners have lost their entire crops, and thousands of pounds' worth of damage has been done. Breaking through tho bank at Rahui, the river flooded the racecourse property . at tho back of tho stands, some of tho outbuildings now being in the river. Its , waters then ran along tho edge of Mr. Webster's training stables, the grounds of which may be washed away if the river continues its present courso for long. The flood then swept on to the railway, carrying tho ballast of the permanent way into tho ditch at the side of tho road, wilich runs parallel with it. A length of line bolween the railway bridge and the station became impassable Leaping tho road, which for some time was or four feet under water, the flood swept on, covering Jubilee Road and the country between it and Mill Road, and flooding business premises and residences. It then ran level with the platform of the railway station. At the height of the deluge the water was fully four feet deep at the entrance to tho station, and the adjoining shops were isolated. No trains from the north could proceed past the station, and the trains from Wellington had to slop on the south side of / the bridge, the passengers and luggage being transferred by car and lorry. Danger From Eanked-up Water, Yesterday, after tho waters had subsided sufficiently, a gang of 50 to 60 men were at work all day repairing the railway. Although the flood subsided almost as quickly as it had risen, the river held new course, swallowing up valuable agricultural laud. As the waters bank up below the railway bridgo there is a daiiger of the river eating into the soft banks of the racecourse property iiiid then flowing toward the Rahui dairy factory, which 13 the property of the Wellington City Council. Tho land hero is only a little above the of tho river and falls away toward Te Mariaou Hill, thus the water is a menace to the racecourse, the Rahui factory, the new railway bridge and the Owki township. During Friday night and the early hours of Saturday morning tho greater part of Otaki was under water, including the/school and tho grounds adjoining Mill Road, Practically every house adjoining Mill Road was invaded by the water, and residents luid to leave. The ground floor of the Moutere Private Hospital yas just beginning to disappear under water when the flood began to recede, but all the patients had been moved upstairs. Main Road Now Open. From 8 a.m. to midnight yesterday the flood subsided rapidly and motor traffic was atyle to proceed slowly through a depth of a foot to eighteen inches. A party of 80 Presbyterian girls were camping at the racecourse, which they had to vacate. They returned to Wellington yesterday. Hundreds of motor-cars were marooned 011 the short length of road between Te Manaou Hill and Otaki station, and men with horses wore engaged in hauling them out. Although there has been some loss of stock it has not been very serious, as tho animals were driven on to higher ground as soon 11s the heavy rain com rnenced. For over a day the farmers were unable to milk their cows, and no work was done 011 Saturday morning in Rahui factory, which was surrounded by a considerable depth of water. The road from Palmerston North to Wellington, which was closed owing to the flood at Otaki, was reopened for traffic to-day and cars had no trouble in negotiating the road through Levin and Otaki.

MAROONED IN TREES. i PLIGHT OF MOTORISTS. RESCUED IN EXHAUSTED STATE. IBY TELEGRAPH.— I'UESS ASSOCIATION.] AVFLLTNGTON, Sunday. After a bus at Silvers!rerun had been rescued from the Hood waters of the Hutt lliver on Friday a motor-car with two occupants came from the direction of Lower Hutt and became hogged. A breakdown van went to its assistance, but the rescuers were themselves involved. They anchored the van, with the car in tow, to a fence and ma do their way out of the water by clinging to fence wire.?. The occupants of the car, for some icason, did not follow. As the water kept rising they were told to co/ne out, but they remained in the car. After darkness fell the police were informed and a rescue parly was arranged, but it could do nothing. The men eventually took to the brandies of wilbw trees and there they were marooned until rescupd with ropes at 5 ii.m. the (lay. T hey were in an exhausted eondi- • tion, but did not reipme medical attention. ihe men were Mr. Frederick IVtts. of Upper Hutt, and Mr. Frr.Wi.-lt Sto venson, of 'lrciitham, both of them carpenters. Their car was swept into the Willows and capsized.