Many Families Marooned By Torrential Rains

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31108, 11 July 1966, Page 1

Many Families Marooned By Torrential Rains

(New Zealand Press Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH, July 10.

Dozens of farming families in the Waitotara and Hawera back country farming areas are marooned after the torrential downpour which lashed most parts of the Taranaki province on Friday. An estimated 300 people are “locked in” up the Waitotara valley, while east of Hawera, at least four Tangahoe valley families are in a similar plight.

Slips and wash-outs block both access roads for miles and desperate efforts will be made tomorrow to restore contact with the isolated settlers. Valley roads are described as “complete shambles” and county employees have had to hack their way past huge trees to get near some of the slips. A helicopter is to be chartered by the Patea County Council in an effort to take council workmen along the Waitotara valley, where road machinery valued at several thousands of pounds is rapped between the numerous slips. The county engineer, Mr J. A. Edwards, said to-

night that all attempts to reach the machinery today had failed.

“If we can get the men to the machinery, which includes two bulldozers, we should be able to restore some access within 24 hours,” he said. HELICOPTER TO LAND

Mr Edwards said that the helicopter would be able to land on a farm near where the machinery was trapped and an immediate start could be made on the road.

Slips in the Tangahoe valley are believed to be the worst in history, and some complete sections of the valley road have been carried away. The families are likely to be isolated for several days A Hawera County Council spokesman said that huge trees had been carried across the road with tons of rock and clay from the battered hillsides along the valley. RAIL LINK CUT The New PlymouthWanganui rail link, which was cut by slips and washouts two miles north of Mokoia, near Hawera, on Friday night, was reopened this afternoon.

Potato crops at. an estimated value of £15,000 have been lost near Shannon because of flooding during the week-end.

Hundreds of bags already dug have been submerged. After better weather today floodwaters in the Manawatu are now receding, but many acres around Opiki, Tokomaru, Linton and Shannon are still under water. PUMPS IN USE

Twelve large electric pumps are fighting to drain the land, but the river level is still more than 3ft above tho level of water drains.

Six of the pumps were winning the battle, the overseer for the board, Mr J. Stephenson, said tonight. The other six were “holding their own.” Mr Stephenson said that, given another fine day, it would be possible by Tuesday to open the stop gates of the drains and let water flow into the Tokomaru river. Most farmers have moved their stock away from flooded areas, although this afternoon there was some stock marooned on the stop banks.

The board's staff have now been on the job for four days, a task which was made more difficult by a mysterious signal in the electricity lines which stopped pumps when they were supposed to switch over from peak load.

Bank Rate.—Britain’s bank rate could go up to eight or even nine per cent this autumn if, as it seemed almost certain, sterling was again under pressure and the upward movement in world interest rates continued, the "Sunday Times” said today.— London, July. 10.