SLIP AND WASHOUT

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1935, Page 9

SLIP AND WASHOUT

RAIN DAMAGE EXTENSIVE SUBURBS SHOW THE SIGNS HEAVY FALLS OF EARTH DEBRIS ON THE BEACHES A tour by car of New Plymouth suburbs made yesterday afternoon showed forcibly the terrific drenching the town had received the night before. On roads, paths, bridges, terraces and in cuttings the signs of flood and storm seem indelibly impressed. Falling softly but so heavily that the ground shook as with an earthquake, a portion of the cutting on Devon Street West collapsed at an early hour yesterday morning, blocking the highway to traffic. About 300 yards are estimated to have fallen, but clearance was soon begun by borough workmen. Cars drove on the pavement to avoid the slip. Several minor landslides have occurred at intervals .along the street. The collapse of the main slip was distinctly felt by Mr. F. Parker, who lives nearby. Mr. Parker thought he was experiencing an earthquake; his house gave a sharp jump. Breakwater Road from the port to the Boiiithon Estate presented an unkempt appearance. Concrete walls of private houses were cracked or Worn, or showed signs of tunnelling where the water had burst through. About six or seven slips, each bringing down several tons, and a few minor sand slides occurred at the port end of the road. Unsealed Side roads had been scoured by the torrents. In Western Street oft Pioneer Road a great block of clay, bearing a hedge on its crest, had given way and had half-buried a garage as it fell. The house below the slip had bSen flooded out. The light bridge on Calvert Road was several feet under water. Ngamotu beach'was littered with debris of all descriptions from end to end. The beach cottages had been swamped inwater and silt two to three inches deep. There were some serious leakages in the roofs but on the whole the cottages escapes very lightly considering the level of the site. The suitability of the motor camp sites was demonstarted by the comparatively little inconvenience suffered by the occupants even when the storm was at its height. The major part of Fitzroy was raised above the floods, and those who dared to remain under canvas were justified in their optimism. About 18 tents are now erected. At Belt Road a blockage in the drainage pipe caused water a couple of inches deep to wash into the caretaker’s house. Otherwise there were no complaints except from a rare person whose tent was badly placed or badly set up. The main damage was at Belt Road, where soft portions of the cliff face were plunged into the sea. One large slip, i precipitating* several tons of sand and earth on the beach below,'left a rent in the cliff about 30 feet wide. , The roads leading to Fitzroy and Belt Road were left in poor condition. The clay foundation on the Fitzroy hill was carried away and the large stones make rough driving. At. Belt Road the scoria had been washed into heaps and quantities of sand swept down from the hills. It lay nine inches to a foot deep in the morning but workmen were quickly on duty to remove it. In Cutfield Roada long ..established entrance pathway cut in the bank above Mr. F. W. Reston’s house gave way beneath the weight of water rushing down the hill; Protective railing, shrubs and earth were precipitated among.the native trees below. On the other side of the road there were minor falls of earth from the high bank fronting Western Park. On the Vogel town side 300 yards have fallen from the intersection embankment near Brois Street. A considerable quantity of clay has fallen from the crest and two culvert washouts have occurred further down. There is also an extensive washout on Mill Road, which has been scoured very badly. Severe washouts have also occurred on Frankleigh Road. The Waimea stream has scooped a deep cavern beneath the culvert and the crossing is unsafe for motor-cars.