AT ELLESMERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17038, 11 May 1923, Page 10

AT ELLESMERE.

EFFECT OF SELWYN FLOODS. The flood waters in the Selwyn River yesterday were about five feet lower than the level reached during the height of the flood on Tuesday, but the volume of water was still too great to enable the work of repairing the gap in the approach to the Bilesmere bridge to be commenced. The gap. which is between forty and fifty feet in length ami about eight feet deep, is at the Christchurch end of the bridge, and until it is filled there will be no road communication between the districts cn each side of the Selwyn River. Yesterday afternoon, when a* “ Lyttelton Times” reporter accompanied Mr A. Dudley Dobson and Air J. 8. Hawkes, president and secretary respectively of the Canterbury Automobile Association, on a •visit of inspection to the bridge, there was still a heavy volume of water flowing through the gap, and the river was fully fire feet above its normal level. On.ee the water in the river subsides sufficiently to enable the stream to be diverted from the gap, the work of filling it in null be put in hand. WORK CAN BE DONE IN ONE DAY. Air E. Andrews, works foreman for ’ the Ellesmere County Council, stated yesterday that it would require about a thousand yards of material to fill in the cap and once he got a start with the work he would probably be able to let. traffic, across the bridge the same day. The length of time that would elapse before the bridge was opened to traffic again would depend entirely on the subsidence of the flood waters. He was hopeful that the work would be completed bj- Saturday night, but it was possible that it might be delayed until next week. In addition to the gap, a good deal of other filling in is required to be done, and about 2000 vards of material will be necessary for the whole of the work. It is intended to employ about eight or ten men cm the job, and four cliays and two scoops will be. used. The flood has also scoured out a. portion of the earthwork at the approach of the main structure of the bridge, and this will need to be repaired before the bridge will be safe for traffic. DAMAGE TO ROADS. Tlie whole of the country in the vicinity of the bridge bears traces ot the havoc wrought bv the flood. At the junction of the Burnham and Lees ton Roads, there are still several huge holes in the roadway, but teams were at work yesterday filling some of them in. and the roads will be negotiable | as soon as the bridge is ready for traf- j fie. At the Ellesmere railway station the | flood waters reached the level of the platform and broke down the fence between the line and a house occupied bv Air T. Mallet, railway foreman, Mr Alallett having to vacate "his house from mid-day on Alonday until yesterday. On the Leeston side of the bridge, Mi* F. Pack was compelled to leave liis house on Alonday night and did not return to it until Wednesday. FARMERS ’ LOSSES. A good deal of loss lias been suffered by a number of farmers in the district; Mr D. M’Gregor is reported to have lost about fifty sheep and another farmer near Brookside has had about 1700 bushels of wheat destroyed, while between forty and fifty cattle belonging to Air H. Bliss, which were grazing in the river bed, have not been seen rince Monday, and are believed to have been drowned. On AVednesday fears were entertained in the district that tlie river might revert to its old course at Brooks id * and go down the T.rwell drain, and Air John Cunningham, chairman of the Ellesmere County Council, and a.large party of men spent a busy day blocking up the -water. If the river had i broken through g. groat deal of country ■in the vicinity of Dwell would have j been badly flooded. | NOT A SNOW FED RIVER, j Under normal conditions the Selwyn ' for a long distance the water flows un - S derground. During the flood the volj nme became exceptional, and at the j Selwyn ford on the Main South Road, which, is usually dry, became a large river and. completely blocked traffic. The only alternative route between Christchurch and Ashburton was via the Ellesmere bridge, which was also blocked to traffic, thus entirely cutting off road communication between the . two sides of the raver. The Selwyn is not snow fed like most of the Canterbury rivers, but is fed by springs, and : its flooded condition was caused almost