THE Waikato Independent. SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1907.

Waikato Independent, Volume V, Issue 326, 19 January 1907, Page 4

THE Waikato Independent. SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1907.

From all accounts the flood, which reached its highest point on Tuesday evening, was the most severe experienced in the Waikato since it has been occupied by white settlers, and eclipses the great flood of 1874. While in the Cambridge district there will be a certain amount of loss in crops, it will be small in comparison with the serious damage caused on the lower-lying farms in other parts of the Waikato district. But, while farmers here have been fortunate enough to escape serious loss, the various County Councils will suffer very materially, by the carrying away of bridges and washouts of culverts, etc., and the total cost, for new bridges and repairs to roads and culverts, will probably run into many hundreds of pounds. But, if they are as wise as county councils in the South, they will at once approach the Government for grants in aid to meet the extraordinary damage caused by the floods. For instance, in Otago, on occasions of floods even of a minor nature, whereby damage is caused to the roads and culverts, the local authorities at once appeal to the Government for financial assistance, which they never fail to obtain. And, in such cases, it is only right and proper that the Government should lend its financial aid. For the local authorities have, nowadays, to see to the upkeep of all roads and bridges, except those under the charge of the Railway Department. Consequently, in case of floods, the local bodies haye a fair claim upon the Government for financial assistance. It is to be hoped thatthe apparently prevailing modesty of the County Councils in the Waikato will not, on this occasion, cause them to abstain from seeking financial help from the Government.

The unprecedented nature of the recent floods appears to have completely paralysed the management of the Railway and Postal Departments, so far as the Waikato is concerned. Nor do we think that the most optimistic person in the Waikato district can congratulate them on the slumberous manner in which they have for several days permitted its people to be shut off from all communication with the outside world. On Monday it should 4 have been evident to the railway authorities that the line would be submerged, for some miles past Ngaruawahia, for several days. If theyy.had utilised even a modicum of brainpower, this must have been evident For not even a boy in' the IV. Standard of a State School could have suffered from sufficient want of thought to have imagined that the Waikato would not submerge the line for several days. Rain had fallen all over the sources of the Waikato, for several days, yet the Railway Department seemingly came to the conclusion that the river would go down immediately the rain stopped! But the Railway Department, so far as the Waikato district is concerned, always moves in a mysterious way its wonders to perform, and it was of course quite in accordance with its

usual practice that its service should suffer from partial paralysis, when the unprecedented happened. It is safe to say that had the Eailway Department exercised the acumen of an ordinary business firm it would have risen to the occasion, and on Tuesday have put on a steamer to connect with the railway service at Ngaruawahia. But this very obvious method of restoring communication with Auckland evidently failed to dawn upon the railway management until Thursday, when the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce wired to the Chief Postmaster, eoroplaiug of the delay in forwarding mails. Apparently nothing would have been done had the Chamber not directed attention to the matter, for yesterday morning word was received that a launch had been put on between Ngaruawahia and Pokeno, and mails came through by the afternoon train. For this relief much thanks ! In taking so long to re-open communication between Auckland and the Waikato, the Eailway and Postal Departments have established a New Zealand official record, in the slumberous art of How-not-to-do-it, which for years to come will be looked upon with envy by all Governmental lovers of red-tape!