THE EARTHQUAKE.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17751, 1 July 1929, Page 8

THE EARTHQUAKE.

TOUR OF INSPECTION.

EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.

DISTRICT ENGINEER’S REPORT.

ROAD COMPLETELY OBLITERATED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) y NELSON, Monday.

The Public Works district engineer, Mr. L. May, has returned to Nelson after making an inspection on foot of the Murchison to Reefton highway. Mr. May was accompanied by Messrs. Addison and Johnston, of the railway survey party, and Mr. F. McWha. Of Murchison. The route taken was along the Matakitahi, Warbeck and Warwick Rivers. The party did not proceed past Warwick Junction, for, it was. ascertained that the road from there onwards w r as practically undamaged. The conditions were the worst possible for the inspection trip, and snow fell steadily for three of the four days during which the party was out. Starting from Gowan Bridge on Wednesday morning, they spent Wednesday night in the deserted Mamoth Hotel,, Upper Matakitaki, and on Thursday they reached the Upper Markia, which , has not been evacuated by settlers.; ■ •

•_ Dealing with the effect of the earthquake, on the route traversed by the highway, Mr. May .said that between the Six.-mile and Eight-mile Creeks, apparently the focus : point -of the faults in',the country, earthquake damage was- very, extensive. The road had been almost completely ooliterated, and the country so badly shaken that it would be useless attempting to reinstate the road along its' original alignment. Surveys for a deviation are now in hand. Returning to the Upper Matakitaki. According to Mr. May’s observations, the damage gradually lessens beyond the Eight-mile Creek and is confined mainly to the shaking off of the ends of spurs, dropping of the outer edges of . road, and fissures where swampy ground .has been traversed. , A few slips have ocqurred on the saddle between the Warbeck ' and Warwick River. A party of settlers has been si arted under Mr. Warwick Thompson, of Upper Maruia, In clearing the road from Shenaneah back towards Murchison. They will probably work to the lop of the saddle, a distance of about four miles.

The settlers are beginning to return to the Upper Matakitaki, and as soon ns sufficient are available the clearing of the road in that area will be put in hand.

The damage from the Six-mile to the Eight-mile Creeks, however, will have lo be made good from the Murchison end. This work cannot be attempted, said Mr. May, until there is reasonable prospect of the road being mainlained between Glenhope and Murchison.

On the Glenhope-Murchison section, between Owen and Doctor’s Creek,, considerable slips have occurred and it will probably be several days before the. road can be re-open-ed for through vehicular traffic. The removal of the settlers from the district was referred to by Mr May, and he states that there was no legitimate excuse for the evacuation of quite considerable areas, and that immediate steps should be taken for the settlers in those areas to return. There is no reason at all, said Mr May, why the bulk of .those with homes, in Murchison should not return and carry on with the complete rehabitation of the district. The Public Works Department is obtaining information as quickly as possible as to the cosh of opening up pack tracks to those areas in which settlers are now residing, and also similar information in connection with those areas to which set.tlers are likely to return in the near future. In the meanwhile, howover, the Department’s energies are being concentrated on opening and maintaining the main lines of communication.