FLOOD DAMAGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18855, 7 May 1923, Page 6

FLOOD DAMAGE.

SILVERSTREAM WATER RACE. The city engineer’s staff had had an anxious time during the last fortnight in keeping the water running in the Silverstream race, on which more than 40 men are at prsent employed, the majority being engaged between Fornhill and Whare Flat. Many slips have occurred, and several of them have been of substantial dimensions, requiring immediate attention. At one point 400 ft of piping had to be shifted into a new cutting in solid rock. RELIEF MEASURES. An impression seems •to prevail that the Floods Relief Committee is at present making an inspection of damaged houses with a view to their reinstatement. The Deputy-Mayor (Mr J. S. Dougins),, who is chairman of the committee, states that certain members of the committee went round on Saturday afternoon to look at some of the houses where serious damage has been reported as to the contents —linoleums, furnishings, and so on—but there is no suggestion as yet of doing anything by way of repairing houses or any other, property. That may be considered later if - there is any money to spare. A REASSURING STATEMENT. In order to allay any anxiety, that may exist in regard to an outbreak of disease as a result of the floods, his Worship the Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley) had an interview with Dr MKibbin (district health officer) on Saturday. Mr Tapley was informed that from past experience of floods it is not usual to expect epidemics of pneumonia or plagues; but, in those climates subject to it, typhoid fever has occurred from pollution of the water supply with flood waters. His Worship added that the Water Department was looking into the matter of the water supply as to possibilities of pollution. The health officials state that so far no ! cases of pneumonia or other unusual infectious diseases have been reported. As regards dwellings, householders have already been advised to ensure a free current of air underneath their houses, to open i up doors and windows and make fires, and | to remove floor coverings, particularly lino- I leum, until the boards are thoroughly dry- | If the weather should be warm and still j it is quite likely that there may be some j unpleasant smell arising; ..but it is more \ the mental effect from this unpleasantness ! that concerns the people than any danger ! of disease arising from this cause. Disinfectants can be obtained from both the City Council and the Health Department sanitary inspectors, and in extreme cases ad- | vice and help will be given regarding spraying under the floors with quicklime solu- | tion. ; | THE TAIERI. | The latest advice from the Taieri is that ■ the wing dam has been raised, and there is now 3ft 6in to spare above the level of the river. At Otokia the river is at the 4ft 9in mark. It is runnin- over the centreway wing dam, but Mr Bryant thinks he can keep it safe overnight. At Henley both boxes are discharging from the plain into the river. The Telephone Exchange received the following message from Middlemarch at 11 o’clock last night:—“Tile' river is . slowly rising. It has risen about Ift since dusk, and is now between the 4ft and sft marks. The weather is much milder, with slow drizzling rain.” 'REPORT BY MR OOUSTON.. The following report •by Mr B. B. Houston will be presented to the Taiiri River Trust at its meeting to-day:— ' Prior to April 21 good progress was made with the works in hand. The clearing and deepening of the lower part of the Lee Canal had been completed, and the clearing of the Conlour Channel and Wylie's Creek diversion was in progress. The events that have since occurred will oblige the Trust to reconsider outstanding instructions. There was a heavy and persistent rainfall over the whole watershed commencing on the evening of Saturday, April, 21, and continuing throughout the 22nd to the morning of the 23rd. On Sunday morning the Silver stream and more ■ remote feeders of the Taieri and the Waipori River were in flood. The Taieri River rose rapidly at Outrai/'during Sunday from normal in the early morning to' 10ft at 10 p.m.,' and during Sunday night and the early part of Monday morning continued ,to rise till the reading on the Tower gauge at-Outran! was 18ft 9in at 8.30 a.rii.,, and the water'was flowing within 18in of the Outram embankment, and at one place was reported within 6in of bank level. Early on Monday morning the East Taieri banks were breached, and later on the embankment, though not taxed to its full extent so far as height of water was concerned, broke in Mr Blair’s paddock above the Outram Railway bridge. With the bursting of the banlj the height of the river was lowered at Outram, but notwith-, standing the ‘water' continued to rise at Alianton, the records being 9ft 6in at 6.30 a m., lift 6in at 9.15 a.m., 15ft 6in at 1 p.m., and 16ft at 5 p.m., after which the water fell. Further down at Otokia tho river rose rapidly after Inidrday, and towards evening the bank above the Otokia railway bridge was overtopped for a considerable length- and the river ,quickly fretted away the bank and caused a gap 450 ft wide. A little later tho bank was overtopped below the bridge, and another breach occurred. The Waiporr River broke through above Berwick, and what the river channel could not carry was spilled over' the low lands round Berwick. 'Hie, river also broke through the embankment opposite Mr R. Shennan’s. The Waipori-River in its upper roaches quickly fell from flood -height, but continued high for some time, and the iovel of the lake was raised, and not only was all value of conservancy lost before the Taieri River reached its height, but the lake banks were overtopped and tho lower part of the plain flooded from the lake. Tho contour channel was incapable of carrying the water from the hills, and broke through in many places, flooding in turn the land between it and the Lee., By Tuesday morning the Taieri River at both Outram and Alianton -had fallen to 13ft, and the whole of the low lands of the plain had by that time been inundated. On Tuesday evening tho water stopped flowing through the gap at Blair’s, and on Monday, April 35, the gap at Otokia stopped ns of Relief.—The lake banks from Henlev towards Berwick and the outlet at A drain were cut by the settlers, the Lee Creek outlet, the, north banks of Lee Canal, and tho lake banks from the lake bridge towards Henley by the board s workmen. Tenders have been called and a contract let for the erection of a temporary stopbank at Mr Blair’s. The repair of the old wing dam round the big break ;at Otokia is in progress. The West Taieri gang, with the assistance of casual labour and teams, is repairing the breaks in the Contour Channel. The motors and transformers have been disconnected and sent to Dunedin for drying out. , .. Particulars of Damage.—Break in Taieri River at Blair’s, length 150 ft; break in Taieri River above Otokia railway bridge, length 7 chains, 3 chains halfway through, 2 chains badly fretted ■ break below Otokia railwav bridge, about 50ft; breaks in Contour Channel at Docherty’s, Reid’s, Probert’s, Marshall’s (2), M‘Leod’s (5), J. Miller’s (2), Hoenan’s, and Lyall’s; destruction of Hamilton’s outlet box; break in Berwick embankment opposite R. Shennan’s. Incidental Works.—Erection of temporary stopbanka at Blair’s and Bryant’s; drying out of motors and transformers; cutting of banks and roads and repair of same; clearing the blocked drains; removal of gravel from the Contour Channel; pumping water from the lower areas.

The cost of the works depends largely on the instructions you give regarding reinstatement, and it is premature for mo to say more until you have considered the position. At the time of writing this report (Sunday afternoon) there is danger of the river causing further trouble at the breaks at Outram and Otokia before the report appears in print. On Friday night the river rose to 6ft at Middlemarch, and on receipt of tho report men were got together, and the low part of the lip of the break at Outram raised 2ft with sandbags. On Saturday morning Middlemarch advised that the river had fallen by 2ft, and .in the evening had fallen by another 9in and that there was snow on the high country. On Sunday information was received that tho river was up to the Bft 6in mark at Outram, and word was at once sent to Mosgiel, Otokia, and Henley. As the river had risen to Bft llin by midday Crs M'Lcod and Ford got men together, and added a tier of sandbags to the protection at the Outram break, and Otokia and Henley were advised regarding the further rise. The railway engineer, on being communicated with, endeavoured to ascertain from Hindon .he height of the river on the gauge there, but the day being Sunday could get no reply. : Mr Mason, at Middlemarch, was telephoned, and reported at 2.30 tho height of the river to he between 3ft and 4ft, and the weather showery, with sn6w on tho hills. Mr Mason said that there was not much likelihood of water from his direction troubling the lower plain, but if there was any ' change ho would send down . word.

Advice from Outram towards evening was to the effect that the river still showed Bft llin on the gauge. A matter that is emphasised by the experience of the flood is the urgent, need for a system of collecting and sending out weather reports and river records, independent of the private sources from which the news is now gathered and the devious channels by which it is transmitted to the flood area. It is the rule rather than the exception that trouble occurs at night or on Sunday when the country bureau stations are cither closed or restricted in hours of service, and it is only through the ‘very great help and obligement of the officers of the City Corporation, Railway and Telegraph Departments, and men like Mr L. C. Hazlett that it is possible on such occasions to gather information or send out messages. My opinion is that the trust mutt cither have a system o- its own, or all the Taion bureaus,. together with Hindon, Middlemarch, and Waipc.fi Falls, must be connected direct with Mosgiel and tho exchange open continuously. ■ The position is particularly acute at present on account of the breaks in the embankment, but will continue so until these have been reinstated, which will be at all events some months.

It is stated (reports the Bruce Herald) that the Bruce Woollen Company, Messrs Hitchon Brothers, and some private householders in the south-western portion of Milton are contemplating taking action against the Bruce County Council and Milton Borough Council to recover damages for losses sustained by the recent floods, alleged to be caused- through inefficient provision for flood drainage.