EARTHQUAKE SLIPS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17947, 26 November 1932, Page 4

EARTHQUAKE SLIPS

CLEARING CONTINUES

MUCH YET TO BE DONE Mangapoiko settlers in the Wairoa County at last have a road outlet. The clearing of a track about 12 miles past the Cook County boundary has just been accomplished, but nnicfi work still lias to be done in the Wairoa and Cook counties before the road will be in good order. In all, about 25 miles of road was blocked by slips in the September earthquake. The slips eonmienceu at the Waingako Hill, and continued right through to the furthest settler wluo depended on access in the direction of Gisborne. The distance affected in the Cook County is about 13 miles.

The Cook County engineer, Air. A. Guthrie, stated to-day that it would be some time yet before the road could be restored to its former good' condition. The work done was only the provision of a track so that the settlers could transport their goods in and out, and it would be at least two months before the road would be widened and the slips properly cleared. At present the track skirted the slips, and no attempt had been made Co clear the debris where a track could be made without doing this. There is also the danger of further spoil coming down on to the road in the event of wet weather. Even when the road was widened

and the slips cleared, the work would not be finished, it was explained, for it would take years to restore the surface to its former condition. Some of the metal had been lost, and its replacement would be expensive. The Hangaroa-'finiroto work is over a much shorter stretch. This road has been widened in the most dangerous places, but it will take a further eight weeks to complete the removal of the slips, without attempting to atone k the big slide, for which a deviaion has been suggested as an alternative.