SHOPS SUFFER

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1935, Page 7

SHOPS SUFFER

£17,000 SWALLOWED ESTIMATED STOCK LOSS NO INSURANCE BENEFIT FIRMS AT NEW PLYMOUTH SURVEY NOT COMPLETED . Accurate estimate of the loss to New Plymouth residents caused by the flood is impossible. Buildings and foundations must be examined carefully before it is possible to determine what repairs or rebuilding will be necessary. The estimated damage to stock and fittings, on figures supplied by the principal losers to Daily News representatives yesterday, show that the rivers have swallowed £17,000 worth of fittings, machinery and merchandise. Almost without exception no benfefits from insurance are to be derived by those suffering loss by flooding. Very few insurance companies are prepared to insure against flood, and On account of the high premiums few firms in the Dominion take out such a policy. The principal losers appear to be Messrs. Hooker Bros., Egmont Street, who estimate their loss at between £5OOO and £6OOO. Backing up against the storeroom door, the raging torrent from the Mangaotuku stream its way through and flooded the building. Furniture, cigarettes, tyres, hardware, cocoa, spirits and general merchandise in quantity suffered from the invasion. In some cases it is hoped the articles are not completely beyond repair. Much of the stock was held under bond for merchants, and in this respect Devine and Co., already heavy losers, will suffer an additional loss. An idea of the immense volume of water that roared down the Mangaotuku Stream may be gleamed by the fact that the water in Devine and Co.’s warehouse, which is situated below the level of Egmont Street, rose 18 inches in two hours. Members of the staff spent two hours in bathing costumes salvaging valuable spirits and tobaccos. The water rose to such a height that it was found necessary to move articles already on high shelves to a much higher position. By virtue of the situation of the store the greater part of the stock was at the mercy of the flood, and a loss ranging from £2OOO to £2200 is expected. BILLIARD TABLES SUBMERGED. Next door the A.M.P. billiard saloon suffered from £lOO to £l5O damage, the tables being completely submerged. Attempt to pump the water out were unavailing. Mr. R. Vinsen, hairdresser in the same building, lost toilet requisites to the extent of £25. Reference papers and documents of no monetary value were lost by MeSSrs. Standish, Anderson And Brokenshire when the water flooded a storeroom below the building. Serious constructional damage was suffered by Dominion Motors Ltd.,the water fdrciiig its way up through the concrete flOor of the garage, while a sixfoot hole was rent in the floor of the building lately occupied by Mr. E. J. Carr. It is thought repair Work to the garage will amount tb £3OO dr £4OO. Leaving the Taranaki Daily News offices with the object of getting one of the firm’s cars for the purpose of delivering yesterday morning's issue, a member of the staff discovered, the vehicles submerged. Hurried investigation disclosed that the water had found its way into the newsprint store ahd was rapidly rising. Despite energetic efforts to salvage the bulky rolls of newsprint, a loss of between £l5OO and £l6OO is.expected. .. . Streams of water passed through the buildings occupied by George and Doughty and J. R. McKenzie all yesterday. Considerable damage was done to goods on the lower shelves in both shops. While the manager of J. R. McKenzie would not hazard a guess at the loss, the manager of George and Doughty thought £3OOO a conservative figure as far as his firm Was concerned. Messrs. Teed and Co. lost £l2O worth of goods as a result of the flooding of a basement. u

A considerable amount bf money may be invested iii a very small stock bf tobacco and cigarettes, ahd it. camfe as ho surprise that central New Plymouth tobacconists Were heavy losets. All lower shelves stock was completely ruined. The premises of Messrs. C. O. Berg, V. Pruden and W. Roberts received the full force of the flood, the water playing havoc with the stock, Saloon appurtenances and fittings. Efforts made ib shve stock during the earlier stages bf the storm were unavailing, ahd When the Waters subsided the saloons were a mass of Wreckage, tobacco, pipes, empty tins and oddments littering the. floors. Mr. Berg doubted if £4OO would cover his toss, While anything from £lOO to £l5O was the conservative sum mentioned by Messrs. Priideh and Roberts. SEVERITY OF ’ VISITATION. “It is impossible to estimate the > loss at the present time, but it will pfbbably run into four figures,” said Mr. W. G. Brbad, manager of the H.B. Mr. Broad stood ankle deep in mud as he spoke, While nearby hung waterlogged garments bf every description, giving ample evidence of the severity of the visitation. Next door, situated below the level bf the street, the bulk store of Wilson’s hardware shop Was still under water. It was impossible to access the damage, said Mr. Wilsbh, as he pointed to the sorry spectacle of mud-coated tools and implements. Visitors to Messrs. Whites Ltd. yesterday afternoon hardly received a correct impression bf the damage sustained by the firm. The staff had set to Work early ahd the shop presented a more bf less ship-shape appearance. However, in the departments bh the tower floor, which opens on to the street, damage estimated at £6OO was caused. Executives of the firm would hbt venture a guess at the loss caused by the flooding of the bulk storeroom ih the basement of the building. A start was made at 5 o’clock last night to pump the water out with the'aid of a fire engine. Fortunately new autumn supplies are not due for a week or two. Considering the fact that the shot? of McGruer’s Ltd., drapers, was ohe of the first to be invaded by the Huatoki, the damage was rather lighter, only £5OO loss being incurred as far as could be estimated. The water flowed through the shop to a depth of about three inches, but as the doors were opened early the water did not mount up and only the stock on the floor and in the cellars Was affected. Extensive losses were sustained by the tenants of the ground floor of King’s! Building. Hearing of the possibility bf 1

serious flooding, the manager of Kingsway Outfitters Ltd. arrived bn the scene at an early hour- and salvaged practically th& whole of the ground floor stock. Hbwever, a loss of £lOOO is expected, as the cellar ih Which a considerable ambuht bf newly marked-off goods was stored was submerged 10 .feet in water. Provisions valued at £3OO were completely damaged when three or four feet of water invaded Dean’s Oceanic restaurant from Brougham Street and the fear. The provisions Were kept in a cellar, which was filled With storm Whtef. Damage io oils and canvas , will cause Cook and Lister’s a loss, of £2OO, While losses ranging from £2O to £7O Were suffered by the other ground floor tenants bf the building. suitably clad for wading, a News represeritative investigated the misfortunes bf the businesses in lower Brougham Streel;. Water was pouring but of B. Bourke’s bootshop and little could be done to salvage.the cobbler’s stock, while next door £l5O of veterinary supplies, the property of Mr. J. Hill Motion, was a complete loss. A severe loss of valuable legal documents will hb doubt be the misfortune of Messrs.. Weston, Ball and Grayling, solicitors, whose buildings at a late, hour yesterday afterhoon Were completely at the mercy of the Water. Mr. H. Weston told a reporter that it would be. impossible to assess the damage. Three-quarters of the' seeds and manures held by E. L. Gilbert and Co., seedsihen, was spoiled by the water, and a loss bf between £3OO and £4OO is likely. Across the rbad Therkteson’s second-hand shop presented a sorry mess, furniture and books being thoroughly covered in thud. The owner was at a loss Where to commence cleaning up operations. Most bf the guests gave valuable assistance, said the proprietor of the Royal Hotel, Mr. F. Wallis, as he paddled around a particularly wet bar. Most of the guests had from necessity gone out for meals.. Floor coverings ahd furniture had suffered the greatest damage. Mr. Wallis thought it wbuld take £5OO to replace his losses. BREWERY CENTRE OF ATTRACTION Entirely surrounded by water throughout yesterday, the Taranaki BfeWery was yet another centre of attraction. A hastily-improvisSd raft and a rope from the chimney stack ib the “mainland’ Was the only means bf reaching the building. The loss Was not as great as many considered, as ho perishable goods Were kept on thb. ground floor. It is thought £250 Would cover the loss of barrels, coal and odds and ends carried off by the raging torrents. Although Over eight feet of thick, rfiUddy water flooded the basement or Messrs. Hardwicke and Robertson’s ■Warehouse, it was thought that £lOO Would coVer the damage. The basement Was used only as a bulk store, and no perishable goods were kept in it. Alarm Was felt that as the flbod, Which had reached a mark three feet above the WindbWs, receded the stock of barrels, Bottles and fittings, drawn by the water as it raced through the bUckled rear door, would wrench the door from its hinges and allow the complete stock to sail seawards. Hbwever, the staff’s fears Were not realised. Barnham’- open warehouse was not severely flooded, but the stock stored bn the floor level worth about £256 was sbaked. Situated bit the bank bf the river, C. Swanson, engineer, escaped with £loa darriagb, principally Because his stock is mainly metal-Work and not easily perishable. The premises of Tingey’s Ltd., paint merchants, and B. E. Somerville, wholesale furnisher, were affected to the tuhb of £lOO ahd £3O respectively, but the basement Waratah dining rooms were completely flooded and the damage could riot be calculated. “Business as usual” Was the slogan of f Bank of New Zealand. The teller, the cashier, the accountant and the office boy were all there. Hbwever, those privileged to visit behind the scenes Wbuld have discovered that all Was not all “as; usual.” The basement, where old books and stationery were kept, was flooded to within six inches bf the top stair. “That,” said the ’manager with a smile, “is where our strongroom Would have been had we had a new bank.” I