EARTHQUAKE SLIPS

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1932, Page 7

EARTHQUAKE SLIPS

CLEARING ROADS NEAR WAIROA. MUCH YET TO BE DONE. Gisborne, Nov. 28. Mangapoike 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 much work still has 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 commenced at the Waingake Hill, and continued right through to the furthest settler who depended on access in the diredtion of Gisborne. The distance affected in the Cook County is about 13 miles. The Cook County engineer, Mr. 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 to clear the debris where a, track could be made without doing this. There is also the danger of further spoil coming down On 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-Tiniroto work is over a much shorter stretch. , This road has been widened in the meet dangerous places, but it will take a further eight weeks to complete the removal Of the slips, without attempting to attack the big slide, for which a deviation has been suggested as an alternative.