DAMAGE IN WAIROA COUNTY

Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1948, Page 8

DAMAGE IN WAIROA COUNTY

Fress Association )

[Per

WAIROA, xMay 17. The greatest problem confronting Wairoa todav is a shortage of water. The town reservoir is carrying a very small supply, and : it is feared that nothing further will be pumped in until Wednesdav at the earliest. The utmost economy has been called fot by the Borough Council so that the water that is being held will be avaiiable in case of flre or another emergency. The pumping station, which is situated on a bank "of the river at Frasertown, is 65 ieet in height from its foundation and is watertight. During the flood the water rose 35 feet and, running through the entrance to the station, lilled the well, covering the pumps to a' considerable depth. After working contiimously the wat.e't was pumped out and late last night one set of pumps had been dismantled and brought to Wairoa for repairs. An inspection was carried out of part of the eounty vesterday, and presented a scene of desolation in a number of districts. Crops of maize and lucerne are now under high deposit s of silt, wliilst aeres of land have disappeared into the river at various spots. Gangs of men were engaged opening the lake road, and late last evening contact was again resunied with Waikaremoana. The first vehicles through Were those carrying food supplies for the workers engaged ■ on the hydro electric scheme. Thev have been witliout meat and bread since Thursday. | The bridges in the Waikaremoana I Vallev stood u]i weil, but one, that at i Matai, has been badlv damaged. The Waikaretaheke bridge stood tlre straiu well despite the fact that the water rose over 40 feet in that Jocalitv. On the main highway the ehief damage to bridges eomprises the scouring out of the approaches. Although a fair portion of che countv has been inspeeted, it will bf some days yet bet'ore the damage car be assessed due to the fact that it is impossibl-e to make contact with ii number of areas in the back country.