FLOOD HAVOC

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24244, 9 April 1942, Page 6

FLOOD HAVOC

WEST COAST MINES ROAD DAMAGE SHOALING IN GREY RIVER (0.C.) GREYMOUTH, Wednesday Greymouth had its first ray of sunshine for over a week late this afternoon after thunder and lightning and a hailstorm. Further reports are to hand of widespread damage through flooding on the West Coast. Road and rail repairs present major problems. An additional .50in. of rain in the 24 hours to nine o'clock this morning made the total 9.76 in. for the week. The Grey River remains in a flooded state and deposits cf sand and shingle have shoaled up berthages. One large vessel is partly aground. Loading operations cannot be continued until it is known how serious is the shoaling. The West Coast is isolated from the East Coast in the way of road transport. Excepting the Rewanui line, all damage to railway lines has been repaired. The restoration of the Rewanui line is expected to take at least a fortnight. Planning lor Production The damage to the co-operative coal mines up Ten Mile Creek is worse than was at first thought. All the parties face grave difficulties. In view of the state of the Rewanui line and the impracticability of resumption at the Liverpool State mine for several weeks, negotiations are proceeding between the Mines Department and the State Miners' Union for the introduction of two or three shifts at the Strongman and James State mines, thus providing work for the Liverpool miners and keeping up coal production. The failure of the power supply to Rewanui as the result of slips has rendered it impossible to keep the pumps going at the Gorge Creek co-operative mine and it has flooded. Severe Damage to Mines It is probable that production in Ten Mile Gorge will be held up for a month because of damage to mine equipment, estimated at £SOOO, and blockages on the main haulage road. In view of the costly nature of the plant destroyed and the impossibility of replacing it from overseas, the parties there are facing a difficult situation and some of them will probably require financial assistance before production can be resumed. Arrangements have already been made for the situation to be represented to the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb. Bins and bridges at McTigue and parties' mine have been carried away, the damage to this mine being estimated at £IOOO. Clearing work has been pushed ahead on the Rewanui line and three slips at the Dunollie end have been cleared, reopening a mile of track and enabling the release of the train which was trapped half-way down the incline on Monday night. ( si Both the James 3?and Strongman mines resumed to-day;