GERALDINE FLOOD DAMAGE IN COUNTY

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22043, 16 August 1941, Page 3

GERALDINE FLOOD DAMAGE IN COUNTY

Exceeds £2OOO For Last Year No Government Subsidy Available “Flood damage lias cost the Geraldine County a large sum in recent years and it is fortunate indeed that the rain in the last two days has not developed into a major flood,” said the chairman of the Geraldine County Council (Mr K. Mackenzie) yesterday. Since the major flood in March the County staff had t: .n largely occupied in reinstating flood damage, said Mr Mackenzie, and some of the bridges were still in a precarious state because repairs to them had been held up awaiting a decision of the Public Works Department about the usual Government assistance granted after floods. Advice had only j t been received that no assistance would be avr Table for repairs arising out of the March floods, and the cou” . finances would have to carry a particulalry heavy burden because two serious floods had occurred within six months. Flood damage to roads and bridges had cost actual Court/ funds more than £2OOO in the last twelve months, apart from heavy expenditure on river control by the River Board, whose finances were now a’ a low ebb. Mr Mackenzie concluded. Notwithstanding the fact that no subsidy would be available, work would begin almost immediately on the reconstruction of Burdon’s Bridge at Woodbury. SCHOOL COMMITTEE PROTESTS A protest against the transfer of teachers before 1 iey had een replaced will be made to the Canterbury Education Board by the -raldine District High School Committee. This decision was made at a meeting on Thursday evening when the transfer of the senior secondary assistant (Mr A. K. Easterbrook) to the position of headmaster at Sefton was discussed. he chairman (Mr W. H. Kirk) presided. The work of the senior pupils who were facing examinations at the end of the year would be adversely affected if relieving teachers filled the gap pending the appointment of a successor, said Mr J. R. Hawcridge. The Infant department of the school had been without a permanent mistress for a whole term because the Otago Board refused to release the appointee until they could replace her. They should endeavour to avoid a similar breach in continuity of teachers in the secondary department. The headmaster (Mr 3. F. Hayman) reported that the roll number at the primary department was 277 and there were 65 pupils at the secondary department. Miss Mouat, physical instructor, had visited the school ? d would pay a further visit in the new term. CHANGEABLE WEATHER Rain, snow and sunshine were experienced at Geraldine yesterday although the sunshine lasted for a short time. Since rain began on Wednesday 2.12 in. of rain had fallen up to 9 am. yesterday and for the 24 hours at 9 a.m. yesterday the fall recorded was 1.26 in. GAPES-BEAUTIFUL VALLEY At the brtnightly -ard party to augment the funds of the Gapes-

Beautiful Valley Present-tlon Committee there was a good attendance. Prizes for euchre were won by Miss N. McCullough and Mr .M. Patrick. Music for the dancing v?.s supplied by Mrs E. Patrick. Mr Solomon. Mr Casey and Master /ndrew Patrick. Mr A. Blair acted as M.C.