FIRST THINGS FIRST

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 34, 10 February 1931, Page 10

FIRST THINGS FIRST

TWO TOWNS AT WORK

RESTORATION OF SERVICES

LIGHT AND WATER

(By "The Post's" Special Reporter.) , . RAPIER,. This Day. In the week that has ehvpscd since the earthquake on Tuesday, great steps have been made towards reconstruction . both in Napier and in Hastings, and as on tho first day and night, tho. two towns are .doing -first things first. ■ None but essential services are at present being attended to. Food distribution, water, light, and drainage- are being tackled by the established organisations under the general direction of the Public Works and Health Departments, assisted by outside engineers and doctors, and with men augmented by labour from ■• the relief camps. Though business is still at an absolute standstil, no one having any money and there being no place to spend it, the opening of temporary banks within a .day or two will set the first few pounds going round and business will start, again in a small way. A few people are still asking -whether Napier will bo rebuilt, but the majority have stuck to the obvious from tho first—that the town must be .rebuilt. There aro millions of pounds worth of home properties but little damaged, and the port and town facilities represent a capital sum far too great for abandonment to be seriously considered for a moment. The1 whole history of earthquakes is a repetition of wrecked towns and. cities being reconstructed on the old sites. Though rehabilitation in a big way may be some time in commencing, on account of New Zealand's other troubles and Hawkes Bay's unusually severe drought this year, the work must go ahead. Until the report of experts covering the inner harbour' is made-speculation as to the future of this much-fougbt-over scheme is futile. Whether there is an inner harbour or not, the Napier and Hastings business areas will redevelop. Though all tho underground services are badly smashed, this rather obtaining more in Napier than at Hastings, the engineers are satisfied that the present water supply reticulation can serve for the time being. Already water is flowing through about half the Napier street mains, and homes in about thirty streets are receiving an adequate service. Tho wells in Nelson, Park, from which Napier's supply is drawn, arc in good order, and there aro. only one or two bad breaks in the connecting main. The position is not so good at the wells at M'Loan Park, but there is a small head of water available. * On account of the possibility of contamination in the mains, the engineers state that'it is imperative that all water should be boiled. The water is also being chlorinated, and there are sufficient supplies of chlorine for the next eight or nine days. The daily flow pumped is now half a million gallons. Hastings has-been able to carry right through with tho Diesel engines in the municipal power station; they are being used for both water uncl sewerage pumping. Hastings generally has ample.: water, but, as in Napier, there are unoccupied houses cut off, "and a house-to-house inspection' is being made for defective taps in. order to prevent waste. > . There were many stories of cases of electrocution during the. earthquake, but none of these was correct, for the carrying away of transmission towers north of Napier and the immediate wrecking of tho transformer station at Taradale, as well as the hurling of tho street transformers from the poles immediately cut off the supply. In the opinion of the power board officials, no fires- could have originated from the fusing of electric installations. ■ The psychologcal effect, of the towns being in darkness is Very depressing, and therefore both the Public Works Department and tlie Power Board have done everything possible to speed up the lines. The reconditioning of the street lights was given first consideration, and large areas ir. both towns are now excellently lit at night. The Public Works Department had lorries laden with heavy control gear on the road from Shannon and Palmerston and other stores centres first thing on Wednesday morning—some, in fact, on Tuesday night—to replace the equipment which had been smashed or damaged. A substitute transformer for the Napier area is expected to-morrow, but it will bo awkward to handle, as it involves a 28-ton axle load. The Hastings Municipal plant can t.ake care of the business area when the lines are ready. After the street lights, the Power Board turned to the country ducts, and yesterday it had 300 consumers reconnected. By to-night it expects to have 90 per cent, of the country installations in working order out as far as Kidnappers. Generally s,peakiug, the damage to household installations is not heavy, but each is being given a thorough inspection. ... I In this matter of the reconditioniiig of power lines, as in all the assistance rendered, particularly transport, Palmerston and Manawatu have given most unselfish service. The. Manawatu Power Board has sent several gangs of qualified men and full equipment.: Tho work could go ahead more rapidly but for the loss of stores and tools. The Power Board store, by the way, was the last building to go by fire. The Napier Gas Company are very heavy losers, for the plant is much damaged, though tho buildings are 'mainly standing. The mains, unlike the water mains, must be uncovered before they can again be put into commission. Pressure tests are not considered feasible, on account of the serious risk of explosions in streets and homes. The Hastings plant is completely out of action through .the bursting of the lower section of the gasometer and NEW FREEZING WORKS. Messrs. Borthwick, Ltd., are reported to have given instructions for the rebuilding of their freezing works at Paki Paki on about the same site, and it is understood that the new works will bo on a larger scale than the old. All meat, as previously reported, was railed to Wellington last week. At Tomoana tho engine-room, "is intact, and though the buildings are so wrecked that they must be demolished the insulation of the freezing, chambers is holding good and the meat is being hold in good condition. The steel stack stood through the shako, and is not damaged. Eefrigeration is being continued at the Whakatu works by electric power, and it is reported that the meat there is also in good order. The Heretaunga Dairy Factory, the largest in the district, is in operation again, power for the churns and other plant being obtained from tractors. The tomato crop, which is uuusually late this year, may be largely lost, and none of the fruit from North Napier is likely to see the markets, for jt is impossible to grt it out on account of the conditions of the roads.

It is reported that there arc 50 butchers from freezing works that have been demolished in Hawkes Bay on board the Napier mail train which left this morning for Wellington. They are going to Waingawa meat works, where apparently employment has been found for. them, -. :