Thames Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1936. FLOOD PRECAUTIONS.

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19623, 3 February 1936, Page 2

Thames Star

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1936. FLOOD PRECAUTIONS.

1 fc "With malice towards none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right."—Lincoln.

Fortunately, Thames is not frequently subject to such serious flooding as occurred in the northern portion of the town in the early hours of yesterday morning, and judging from outside reports the town has escaped fairly lightly in comparison with some other centres in the central track of the cyclonic disturbance which swept across the North Island. However, the local damage is quite serious enough, and the lesson of this latest and previous similar visitations sufficient warning to justify prompt measures to prevent a recurrence of the trouble always liable to occur when the weather and tide conditions combine to render the Karaka Creek an uncontrollable raging torrent. The 1917 Hood resulted in the Waiotnhi Creek being harnessed against excessive Hooding, and it is high time steps were taken to ensure similar precautions with the Karaka, which has been the cause of the damage in the town on this occasion. The menace of a blockage at the culvert under Pollen Street, where the trouble yesterday originated, will not be removed until some provision is main to check the force of the flood waters surging from the hills, and also for keeping the lower portion of the creek outlet clear of silting. Of course, abnormal rainfall such as was experienced on Saturday night in conjunction with a high tide is always likely to cause flooding in the local streams, but the damaging effect can be greatly minimised, and something on similar lines to the Waiotahi protection scheme would be welcomed by business people and residents in the vicinity of the creek and in the Grahamstown area who have been the chief sufferers in all such floods. Another serious aspect of the flooding is the lack of water for street cleaning purposes owing to the slip in the water-race cutting off further supply for pr.obably a week or more, thus rendering conservation of the water supplies imperative. We understand that Government assistance is being sought in the matter of labour costs for restoration of the water supply, and also for cleaniug-up purposes, and this should be readily forthcoming. On the whole, Thames people can congratulate themselves that the damage in the wake of the local storm is not more severe. At the same time they will only be courting further trouble unless they demand protective measures against the flood vagaries of the Karaka Creek. The total sum of the damage for which this stream has already been responsible would go a long way towards providing adequato protection against such cyclonic visitations as yesterday's, and wo hope to see the city fathers making a move in the direction suggested without -further delay.