FLOOD AFTERMATH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18875, 30 May 1923, Page 8

FLOOD AFTERMATH.

NORTH CANTERBURY AND KAIKOURA. VISIT BY HON. J. G. COATES. (Pea United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. May 29. The Hon. J. G. Coates, who has been visiting the flooded areas of the North Canterbury , and Kaikoura districts, returned to Christchurch this afternoon and went on to Wellington. In the course of a speech at a banquet tendered to Mr Coates at; Kaikohra, Mr G. W. Forbes, M.P., said he know of no Minister who went to greater trouble than Mr Coates to ascertain the true position of affairs. He had striven earnestly to live up to the spirit of the important position which he held as Public Works Minister. From the Public Works viewpoint, Mr Coates had made good in politics, and his work had boon appreciated. Parliament did not want duffers in the Ministry It wanted to see Ministers carry out their work well without muddling and to carry out their work from a national point of view. Party bias had never held sway with Mr Conies. Speaking to a reporter in Christchurch to-night, Mr Coates said it would cost £6OOO to £7OOO to repair the flood damage in {he Amuri County and £4OOO to £SOOO in the Cheviot County. What the cost would be in the Knikorua County he could not estimate, but it would take £SOOO to restore the protective works of the Kniknura River Board to the condition in which they were prior to the flood. In his opinion, it would take six months to restore the bridges and approaches on the TCnikoura-Christchiirch road.