RECENT FLOODS CAUSES

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1935, Page 6

RECENT FLOODS CAUSES

WALL ALONG SEAFRONT

BLOCKAGE OF THE HUATOKI.

OPINIONS OF OLD RESIDENT.

WOOLCOMBE TERRACE EROSION.

(By “Fifty-one.’’)

The recent flood in Taranaki in general and that of New Plymouth in particular, has been actively discussed in print in the home, at street comers, and all other available spots, but I venture to say that comparatively few of those who have offered knew the real conditions of town and country before the Huatoki and Mangaotuku Rivers were interfered with and the backblocks were opened up for settlement. We in the town were always proud of remarking, when other parts of the dominion were under water, that we were perfectly immune from floods because of the natural fall of the Huatoki from source to sea, and its extensive outlet. Some time before the wall of boulders was put along the seafront, the wallingin of the Huatoki at its mouth was undertaken, enabling the reclamation of land on both sides—once the natural outlet of flood waters. No complaint can be made of such a course excepting that more room should have been given between the walls. Even with its present carrying capacity and restricted outlet the Huatoki would never have played such havoc as was recently the case had it not been for the blockages caused by the erection of buildings over the river, commencing with May’s bakery downward.

The same thing applies to the Mangaotuku. Away back where the brewery now stands was a picturesque little spot owned by Mr. George Weston, and what is now the river proper was the mill stream, Mr. Sam Oliver’s flour mill occupying the site of Ridd’s building. The stream, of course, carried a body of running water only when the mill was working. The Mangaotuku was dammed back at Dawson Street, a race being cut from there to the mill. MANGAOTUKU DIVERTED. After Mr. Oliver relinquished business the Mangaotuku was diverted into the mill stream, and whereas Mr. Weston enjoyed perfect freedom from flood, the brewery was up to its neck in it during the late deluge. The old course ran only a few yards away, and there was a fall under Mount Eliot of about four feet. The mill stream connected with the river just below the fall, and this reminds me that during tl.j season the mill stream was a great place for whitebait, as the little fish could not negotiate the fall. The method of catching whitebait in those days would not be tolerated now. A large net was set right across the stream when the mill was not working, and someone with a pole would start under the wheel the drive the fish down to the net. At times great hauls were made.

Before the mouth of the Huatoki was interfered with there was more danger from the sea than from flood. The river was on a level with the ocean, and during exceptional tides waves of considerable size found their way up-stream, but with the exception of washing away a few outbuildings no serious damage was done.

In the old surf-boat days, and before the erection of the wall along the railway station, the sand reached up to the present outlet of the Huatok, showing a scouring-out of between 12 and 15 feet. This opens up a question, that has been occupying my mind for a considerable time—the effect of the scouring on Woolcombe Terrace. It seems to me that the Railway Department is responsible for the washing away of the terrace, for had the wall not been constructed there would have been no danger of tides reaching the cliffs, which before the advent of the wall were covered with scrub. The wall should have been continued to the end of the cliffs, and 1 don't care who says otherwise. I may mention that the Mangaotuku originally ran out into Devon Street just about opposite Everybody’s Theatre, and a channel had to be cut to give room, for a footpath.

Couple Stranded on Rock. When the tide on Sunday afternoon was half in and a big surf was breaking between Schnapper Rock and the Paritutu beach frantic signals and whistles from the isolated land attracted the attention of members of the New Plymouth Cycle and Athletic League who were picnicking on the sand. It was evident that a couple were stranded on the rock but rescue was speedy. A chain was formed by the club members and the pair were brought safely ashore, none the worse except for a ducking. Owing to the swift current running several of the rescuers suffered cuts and bruises. Hooked!

Apparently some New Plymouth fisherman had an unexpected catch on Sunday. Although the details of the occurrence are a deep secret, Mr. Justice Blair revealed at the Rotary Club luncheon yesterday that he had been hooked in the nose on a Sabbath fishing expedition but, with his customary dry wit, he remarked that he expected the “shot” of anti-tetanus serum given him by the doctor who extracted the hook would be effective and that then lockjaw would not develop soon enough to interfere with his talk to the club. At the end of his address he remarked that perhaps the serum had not been as effective as he had expected! Ideal of Service.

Speaking to tbe New Plymouth Rotary Club in an informal address at its lunchedn yesterday, Mr. Justice Blair remarked that the ideal of service had been behind every great social movement of the last century. Actually it was evidence of the practical application of the ideal of Christianity that had impelled those great movements—and they had been few and far between. As examples of the few he quoted the Salvation Army and the Boy Scout organisation. The former had grown, despite early persecution, to magnificent proportions; the latter had been impelled by instilling the ideal of service into children. There were too many people in the world today who, instead of asking what they could do for the other fellow, asked what they could do him fori’ ” All His Fences Gone.

“No doubt you are all aware of the disaster that has overtaken us with the recent flood of the Waitara River, remarked Mr. E. Satler in asking the Taranaki County Council for permission to erect a gate on Mamuku Road. He pointed out that all his fences, including road boundaries and dividing fences, were completely gone and his farm was open to the wide world. He would have to erect new fences. The three settlers on the road had been interviewed and would not raise any objection. In any case the road was practically closed to traffic, owing to big trees and debris banked up at the back of his place. He asked that the matter be treated as urgent, as his cattle had free access to go anywhere and other cattle were invading his place. Members, of the council unanimously agreed to grant the request.