LAKE DRAINED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 3 May 1938, Page 7

LAKE DRAINED

BURSTING OF DAM EARTHQUAKE FORMATION HAWKE'S BAY FLOOD THEORY OF QUICK KISH WATERS OF MOD AKA (Pt-r Press Asscu-iation.) NAPIER, this day. Surveys of the area affected by the recent floods disclose one phenomenon after another One now revealed is the disappearance of Te Hoc Lake, which was formed by the earthquake of 1931.

Tlie lake was created at the junction of Te Hoe and Mohaka Rivers, about 25 miles inland from Tutira, by damage to Te Hoc River when tlie sides of tlie gorge fell in as a result ol the earthquake. The dam thus tormed was an enormous mound and it held in check many millions ol gallons ol water which backed up behind the dam itself for some two miles at that time.

The slow rise of the waters gradually engulfed a farm property, a small plantation and a wooished. A house which was in danger was floated to a higher level and saved. Tlie bursting of the dam last week released millions of gallons of water, an occurrence which is considered to explain • the rapid and otherwise .unaccountable rise of the Mohaka River and the destruction of tlie Mohaka bridge just below the railway viaduct. The disappearance of the lake has revealed again a large area of the Ngatapa Flats which were submerged when the lake was formed seven years ago.

CONTACT RESTORED GISBORNE AND NAPIER TELEGRAPHIC TRAFFIC Although it is expected that a great deal of work remains to be done before telegraphic connection between Gisborne and Napier is restored to normal, contact, although of a somewhat uncertain character, has been reestablished and this fact is regarded by officials of the department as something in the nature of an epoch in a period of extreme disorganisation. For a full week tlie channels upon which Gisborne relics for most of its telegraphic traffic were completely closed, and tlie offices at either end were not even aware of tlie extent of the damage or tlie progress of the repair gangs. These gangs had set out from Napier and Wairoa immediately the break was reported, but they were cut off from the rest of the world, unable to report to headquarters and dependent for supplies dropped biplane.

Hopes were raised on Saturday morning when it was reported that tlie gangs were only eight miles apart, although badly damaged country separated them. At 4 o’clock on Saturday afternoon contact with Napier was made for the first time since the previous Sunday and yesterday morning it was possible to open tire metallic telephone circuit. Early last evening, however, the line was again disrupted but it is thought that the trouble on this occasion will be of only a minor nature and that in the near future traffic will ire resumed at its normal and uninterrupted speed. Last week’s performance of the Telegraph Department provided an excellent example of tire ability of the staff to cope with an emergency. With its main lines gone, and dependent on a single outlet to Auckland, it was able to clear all traffic from clay to day, the requisitioning of emergency radio sets assisting to some extent to meet tlie situation. Delays in. transmission were inevitable, but generally speaking there was a great deal less than might have been expected under such difficult circumstances.