WAIROA HARBOUR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 222, 7 June 1918, Page 6

WAIROA HARBOUR

1> —. WORKS DESTROYED BY FLOODS. The recent floods in the rivers in the Hawke's Bay district had disastrous results at \Yairoa, -whore im excessive flood in tho river practically destroy?d the harbour works at fho mouth. In order to maintain the velocity of tho current, and so prevent tho precipitation of silt carried down by the river, the stream has been confiiud between two walls. The floods damped the western wall seriously, and silt is already being deposited at an alarming speed. Tho necessity for keeping open the harbour may bo estimated from the fact that there are in tho freezing works there 180,000 carcasses of meat, awaiting shipment. A deputation representing the 'Wairoa .Harbour Board waited on tho Minister of Marine (Mr. T. M. Wilford) yesterday, saying that the need for assistance was urgent, and makiiig a request for a grant of ,£3OOO to hive tho work done. Tho Minister said that it was impossible for him to grant such a large sum. Ho pointed out to the deputation that when the walls were built the direction of the Marine Department to the board was that trtiey should not be built less than five hundred feet apart. They bad been built four hundred feet apart, and this narrowing of the channel had so increased the scour of the river that the present damage had been done by. tho flood. The Marine Department had no funds for such work. If any grant was to bo made the matter would havo to be considered by Cabinet. It was stated to tho Minister that the board had exhausted its horrowing powers, and had expended all its revenue, eo that without the aid of the Government it could not finance theso urgent repairs.