WAINUI ISOLATED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 58, 21 March 1944, Page 5

WAINUI ISOLATED

MILES OF ROAD SLIPS HAYSTACK FLOATS AWAY Wainuii settlers have been cut off from both Whakatane and Opotiki since Fri'tfay last owing to an unprecedented number of slips on the main road leading through the settlement. Old residents state that never have. they seen the hills slip so readily, and that the downpour created the worst flood and road blockages experienced for 35 years. From Mr C. H. White's residence it is possible to count 40 major slips in the hills. Settlers have been organised into J road clearing gangs to remove the slips from the roads. At the Wha- < lea tan e end a .series have eovored the, : road for over a mile. County e;n- 1 ploj'ees aided by a bulldozer are J approaching from the other end. At I the Opotiki outlet a substantial slip ' which will take many weeks to clear i .has been tracked and cream from i

the farms, is being manhandled across to lorries wailing on the other side. Opposite Bradshaw r s farm a large slip has shot mam- cliai-ns of fencing right into Ihe Ohiwa Harbour. x Nearer Ohope The Hood waters nearer Ohope rose to an unbelievable level: and in one instance removed a haystack bodily from Mr K. Hotene.'s farm on to that of his neighbours, Mr Dick Bluett. On the Xgatiawa Maori Development Scheme above Ohope. three miles of fencing has been swept .avvay by Hoods, and there has been certain losses in stock. Waimana Gorge Slip Another substantial slip occurred in the AVaiiuana Gorge, Avhich however is now negotiable. Flood waters also once again invaded the Whakatane-Taneatua main higlnvay and cut off traffic on Friday and the latter part of the. week-end.