THE FLOODS ON THE TAIERI.

Otago Witness, Issue 3415, 29 August 1919, Page 43

THE FLOODS ON THE TAIERI.

LARGE AREA INUNDATED. A YOUNG MAN DROWNED. RAILWAY COMMUNICATION RESTORED. As stated last "week, the weather improved on the 18th inst., and as the waters of the Upper Taieri commended to fall, the news heartened up the settlers on the Lower Taieri Plain. Large tracts of the Plain had been inundated and much valuable farming land had suffered badly, but it was realised that the most serious part ( of the crisis was over. Late in the afternoon of the 18th inst., the flood waters broke through the embankment in Mr Cross's paddock above the Otokia traffic bridge. The breach increased to 10ft in width, and through this the water flowed inundating many places to a depth of 6ft, and the plain resembled a sea with houses and trees dotted here and there. This gap did not prove so serious as one which occurred in Mr Morrison's paddock, south of the Otokia railway bridge. Here a gap of three chains in width allowed an enormous quantity of water to pour out over the lower part of the plain, the total area, submerged being probably 12 miles square. On the main road on the 19th motor car traffi6 was possible as far as Otokia, but south of Otokia the road was covered with water in several places, and these parts had to be negotiated by means of horsedrawn vehicles. : A number of travellers made the journey southwards by this method, and parcels of newspapers were also conveyed to Milton. At Allanton the waters dropped rapidly, and the railway and roads were clear. The whole of South Taieri, from Waipori Lake to Otokia, however, became flooded during _ the day, ,the water rising rapidly and inoreasing in extent under the influence of the wind and the making tide. The flood waters at East Taieri receded 24ft on the 19th, and portions of land are now showing through, though boats are still being used as a means of transit. The wind, by keeping the water in motion all day, did a good deal of damage to the protective embankments. A regrettable occurrence took place near Otokia on Wednesday, 20th inst., as the result of which a young man named Alfred Lobb, about 20 years of age, lost his life by drowning. It appears that he left his home on horseback to go to the plaoa where he was working on the other side of the railway. When he had gone a short distance along the station road the horse shied and ran backwards over the side of the road into about 12ft of water. The young man was thrown off, and he was drowned, his body being found next day. The deceased was a son of Mr Alfred Lobb, and was a member of a well-known Otokia family. Much sympathy will be felt with his • relatives. The horse was caught and taken back to the township!' VISIT BY ENGINEER. Mr W. E. M'Lean (clerk of the Western Taieri Drainage Board) and Mr B. B. Couston (engineer) motored to Otokia on the 21st inst., and crossed the river by boat to the break in the embankment. An idea of the height of the flood is obtained by those who know the locality when it is stated that they crossed the Otokia Station road over the top of the high, gorse hedges and rowed right across from the Main, South road to the toe of the embankment. Both of the breaks were examined, and it was found that the 10ft break in Mr Cross's paddock was a clean break —that is, to the surface level only, and that the river had already fallen lower than the natural surface, so that no more floodwaters are entering the plain at this point. Instructions were given to Mr W. Bryant (surfaceman) to have the embankment here reinstated at once. The break in Mr Morrison's property was found to be a more-serious matter, as the embankment here is built on lower ground and the river was still pouring on to the plain in a. stream 200 ft wide and 2ft deep. The break, however, is at a bend in the river where the water divides, and the main and deep channel follows the eastern side. The bank is on the west side, and fall in the river of 2ft will, so far as could bo ascertained by sounding, cut off the river from its flow in the western channel and enable either a wing dam to be built round the wash-out or the bank itself reinstated. A considerable length of the embankment has apparently been overflowed, and

in several places the batter on the land side has been fretted away almost to disruption. The situation as viewed on Thursday was, however, much more hopeful, and with good fortune, which means a low river, the work of reinstatement will not be an expensive one as compared with that required for previous floods. Immediately the breaches are repaired every advantage will be taken of gravitation to lower the water on the flooded area, and thereafter the balance of water will bo pumped into the lake. The time that this will take depends entirely on weather conditions. A hopeful estimate is about a month. ACTION BY DRAINAGE BOARD.' ARRANGEMENTS FOR REPAIRS. At the meeting of the West Taieri Drainago Board on the 22nd, it was reported that in addition to the breaks already mentioned in the newspapers in Cross and Morrison s, tho Taieri River embankment was badly fretted in many places towards Henley; that a large portion of Lake Tatawai embankment was broken; and that there were several small inexpensive breaks in the contour channel. It was decided to put in hand at once tho repair of all three embankments, and arrangements were made accordingly. It was reported that several cuts had already been made in what were called the lake embankments, and that there was a bij? run-off of water. The engineer was instructed to ascertain from the city electrical engineer whether any motor and centrifugal pumps could be obtained to supplement the present pumping plant. Arrangements were also made for cutting roads, and an endeavour is to be made_ to get the water off the plain at the earliest possible dote. It was also decided to approach the Government in the matter of repairing the damages caused by the flood, and to ask it to pay tho cost. In 'reference 10 the general position regarding the flooding of the Taieri, the board has been communicating with the Government in the matter since- the Minister of Lands visited the distriot on February ,I. Sir James Allen wired on July that it had been decided to refer the question to a commission set up- by the Publio Works Department, and of which Mr F. W. Furkert was - ol~airman-; ... ~ Members expressed indignation at thss EroposaJ, since the Government has already ad the reports of several commissions. _ H was decided not to wait on this commission, but'to introduce into Parliament a comprehensive Bill dealing with the matter, the district to comprise the whole of the Taieri Plain, and the board to have full power to do all such things as may be necessary effectively to cope with the drainage of tho district and the flooding of the Taieri Plain, whether by the surface water or by floods' or freshes in the Waipori or Taieri Rivers or any of their tributaries. THE RAILWAYS. The restricted train service has now been resumed on the main south line and on the Outram branch line. The slip on the Otago Central line between Hindon and Deep Stream proved to be a serious one. Gangs of men were set to work to clear away tho fallen debris only to find it replaced" by further falls. Some of the stones and rocks being large and heavy. PAL'MERSTON, August 20.. The weather seems to have again taken up, and the waters of the flood are rapidlv going down. Many motorists will not readily forget their recent experiences at Bushey. Several ,cars were stuck in the water, and" the owners had to walk back to Palmerston through pouring rain. Others from the north, finding that Bushey was flooded, went h*uck round by Kartigi and over the Horse • Range, only to find that this road was blocked. Turning once again to make back to Oamaru they found. Trotter's Greek unfordable, and several had to spend the night in their oars.