EARTHQUAKE DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1929, Page 15

EARTHQUAKE DISASTER

FROM NELSON TO WESTPORT OVERLAND CAR SERVICE. AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY. Westport, July 16. After an adventurous journey the overland car service from Nelson to the West Coast was resumed yesterday for the first time since the big shake, cars using the new route via Maruia, and passengers walking a distance of three miles around the slips in the Matakitaki Valley from the Nelson car to the coast car. Leaving Nelson at eight in the morning the cars reached Murchison at midday, and proceeded u the Matakitaki Valley to Six Mile Creek. This was banked up with flooded waters, and the passengers crossed in a row boat brought from Lake Rotoroa. After lunch at a Public Works camp, a half-mile further on the beginning of the big slips from the terrace were seen, beneath which the load was buried deep. For a mile or so a path had been cut to the top of the terrace, and thence followed a track through the bush for about a mile until striking the road at a point on top of the terrace. The road was then followed for another mile or more, with numerous slips down. Finally a point was reached to which the road had been cleared from the coast side, and here passengers and pack horses with mails and luggage awaited the coast car. Through a misunderstanding at Westport this car was .two hours behind time. FINE SCENIC DRIVE. At 3.15 p.m. the passengers were en toute in the coast car, and a fine scenic drive followed through the bush-clad Upper Matakitaki, right under the famous Old Man Mountain, on which several large slips had occurred on this side. Behind the Old Man rose the snowy heights of Mt. Mantel], Many large slips were seen on the hills all the way up the valley, and at some still abandoned homesteads domestic animals and poultry stood forlornly about. The Mammoth Hotel, however, was in operation again. The bridges across the Matakitaki, Glenroy, and Warbeck, at the head of the valley were all in good order, and from the latter the long climb began up the saddle into Maruia watershed. As 'the ascent was made slips on the road became noticeably smaller, but the amount of clearing done appeared inadequate if the route is to be kept permanently open. The summit was reached at five-o’clock, and then came the long Maruia, a halt being made for tea at run down the Warwick tributary of the Mr. Lester’s homestead in mid-Maruia at six o’clock.

LOCALITY THAT ESCAPED LIGHTLY

The only earthquake damage reported an this area was a few chimneys down. It was particularly interesting to learn that the detonations and booming noises which had been such a marked feature of the earthquakes at Murchison and in 'the Matakitaki and the neighbouring valleys, had not bc.n heard of any time in jthe Mid and Upper Maruia. After ten miles’ good going up the galley the Maruia River was forded in the dark, the passengers and baggage being taken across in a waggon with a three-horse team, the waggon then returning to help the ear over. No great depth of water is in the river, but the bottom is rough. It is hoped before long to have a temporary bridge, probably at ft point three miles higher up known as the Sluice Box. Leaving the river, the ascent over the Rahn Saddle was presently begun. Although the road at no time is above the high line, it was snoweovered for ten miles or more, the snow for a long distance being the best part of a foot in depth and is stated to have been on the ground for at least a fortnight. With service car traffic it is feared the road will be much knocked about when the snow thaws, and if the route is to be maintained the feasibility of clearing the snow with a grader ■should bo worth the immediate attention of the Main Highways Board. A snowfall of this size is said to bo quite exceptional on the Rahu Saddle, but its occurrence points to the strong probability of tho projected road across the much higher Lewis Pass from Maruia to Canterbury being completely blocked by gnow in the winter. AN ALARMING SHAKE. The run down the Tnangahua to Reefion, which was reached soon after nine o’clock, was without event. On arrival it was learnt that an alarming shake had occurred about an hour earlier, bringing down bottles in the hotel bar. This 0 had not been noticed in the ear, but it was recalled that about the time

it took place trees by. the roadside were seen waving as if a strong wind were blowing, but no wind was felt and the vegetation was motionless for the rest of the way. Thick fog delayed the run from Reefton to Westport. • Earthquake damage on the road was again noticeable in the Buller Gorge, but only a few stones were brought down by last night’s shake and the road is well cleared around all the slips. Westport, owing to the various delays on this trial run, was not reached until midnight, but tin time for the arrival is expected henceforth to be about 9 p.m. and will be reduced as the gap to be walked in the Matakitaki Valley is reduced and facilities at Maruia Ford improved. Fifty men are now working on the Matakitaki slips and the number is to bo increased with a view to the completion of a new section of road in the terrace above the . slips within two months.

The new route is only twenty-one miles longer from Nelson to Reefton and points to'the south, and has, if anything, finer scenery, particularly at present with the snow-clad peaks towering above the bush line, and also has an added attraction in passing close to the Maruia hot springs, the valuable curative properties of which for rheumatism, etc., have long been esteemed by the miners on the coast. The distance to Westport, however, is over fifty miles longer than the old route.

THE MURCHISON SETTLERS

REQUESTS MADE TO MINISTER, MATTERS FOR GOVERNMENT. Nelson. July 15. A deputation from the Nelson branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and Murchison settlers waited on the Minister of Education (Hon, H. Atmore) this morning. The deputation was headed by Mr. F. C. Page, president of the Farmers’ Union. The requests put forward by the deputation were as follow:— (1) That all roads, tracks, etc., be opened up by the Government out of the Consolidated Fund, (2) That where broad acres have been destroyed the Government compensate the owners for at least a portion of the loss. (3) That where settlers have had to vacate their holdings the Government contribute towards reinstating the settlers on other properties. (4) That reinstatement of damaged homes and their contents where required be paid out of relief funds (central comr ittee). (5) That a complete inventory of the total loss sustained be taken immediately, as time is an essential part of the proceedings, the loss in value of landed property to be assessed by two sets of two competent land valuers with local knowledge of the district. (6) That the assessment of losses in damage to buildings, furniture, and domestic commodities be made by two competent valuers used to this class of -work, one to be attached to each set of land valuers. (7) That the valuers bo instructed to deal with those eases where men have been badly hit as most urgent and all losses in connection with these bo completed first and at once, the following cases to be dealt ith according to urgency, and after the most necessitous eases are dealt with the whole district to be taken on a face value. (8) That the valuers (a) be instructed to inquire and io report to the Cential Committee on cases where ready money is urgently needed by any settler or person so that payments may be made at once up to, say, £lOO, these payments to bo treated as progress payments; (b) report which settlers cannot now exist on their holdings, and if they require farms to live on locally or elsewhere; (c) report on farms which cannot be carried on as heretofore, and which may be acquired by the Government to settle those families who have to vacate their 8 01 (P) IsSmpioq luaserd out for farms which may be available for purchase at Government valuation, and which may be suitable for settling those who ea'nnot exist on their present holdings. (9) That where a mortgagee has suffered loss to the extent of seriously diminishing the source of his or her livelihood through loss of security caused by the earthquake, it bo a recommendation that such mortgagee’s position be investigated and compensation granted if necessary. MINISTER’S REPLY. Mr. Atmore replied to the points raised as folows; — In answer to Clause No. 1 there would be no money expended from the relief funds on the opening up of the roads. The matter was one entirely for the county councils and the Government to deal with. Regarding Claus-

No. 2 he said that question had not been discussed in detail. Ihe first step to bo taken would be to get a proper assessment of the damage, and then the Central Relief Committe would be in a better position to see how far the funds would go. He realised that one of the first steps to be taken was to sco that the houses were made habitable, so that the residents could return. The question of the losses sustained would be considered by the Central Committee. The telegrams which he had received urging that the Minister of Lands and the Minister of Public Works visit the affected areas had. been passed on to the respective Ministers, and he had also telegraphed the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister about the matter immediately upon his arrival in Nelson on. Saturday, and he was waiting a reply. He recognised the necessity or° such a visit. He could assure his hearers that there was a strong disposition on the part of the Central Committee to do the fair thing. Settlers of means could not expect to receive the same relief as those who had lost their all. First things would be dealt with fU \lr Peacock (Murchison) asked the Minister whether ho could give any information as to when the most cases were likely to be dealt with I was a month now since the shake had taken place Many of the settlers owned cows about to calve, and it was nccessary that farmers should know where they stood—whether to sell the stock at a sacrifice or to hang on. The Minister said he hoped to acqune information during the course of the day which would enable him to present the case to the Prime Minister on his return to Wellington to-morrow morning. There would be no delay. Although it was a month since the shake took place, it must not be forgotten that for a fortnight or three weeks nothing could have been done so far as the affected areas were concerned. Necessitous cases would be looked into, and would be the iirst consideration. He realised the importance of the information supplied by AH. Peacock, and would give an assurance that a reply to his query would be forthcoming to-moirow or Wednesday. He appredated what had been said in regard to the appointment of valuers, and the representations submitted would receive early consideration along with other resolutions passed at the meeting.