REPAIRING DAMAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1929, Page 5

REPAIRING DAMAGE

DULLER COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS

GOVERNMENTAL ASSISTANCE ESSENTIAL.

WESTPORT, June 24

Mr M. McLean, who was brought by aeroplane! from Karnmen, presided at a special meeting of the Duller County Council on Saturday morning. He referred to the calamity which had overwhelmed the district, and it was decided to send a letter of condolence to the relatives olf bhose who had lost their lives. Mr Mb'Lcan said the damage in the country was enormous and could not yet he reliably estimated.

The Hon. M.r Alclntyre, M.L.C., said they should decide on several lines of action. Already the rate was Gild in the £l, the highest in New Zealand, and the-Council could not possibly meet the cost of repairing the roads.

‘•'Where are we going to get the money to clear the slips,” he asked. “'We should send a delegation to Wellington and get in first with a request for a grant. The rate cannot possibly be increased.”

The chairman and Mr Mclntyre were appointed a deputation to the Clovernment, to be introduced by Ur H. E. Holland, M.l\, and Mr G. C'. j«ack, ALP. Air J. H. Harkness, the .Mayor of Westport, who was present by request, said lie had not yet come across any cases of urgent necessity in the borough. Relief would be distributed on the same lines as the flood relief. Sir Joseph Ward had telegraphed authorising the free use of the telegraphs in connexion with the organisation of relief.

Air H. E. Holland, M.F., said he was satisfied that they would get a large amount of money. The Government had definitely promised assistance in relieving individual sufferers. The County Council should ask for a substantial sum for its repairs. Mr Holland said that he intended to move at once in the direction of obtaining a suitable landing-place for an aeronlane in Westport. Mr McLean said that the people of Karamea- had received only scrappy information by radio, and did not know whether AVestport was left or not until the ’plane arrived. Afr Mclntyre suggested the setting up of small district committees to deal with applications for relief and to handle the situation for the Central Committee.

Mr McLean said the Post and Telegraph Department believed that ; it would be necessary for some time to rely on wireless for communication with. Karamea.

Subsequently Air H. R. Young, consulting engineer, reported that the damage in the area from Seddonvillo to Charleston would cost the Council approximately £BOOO to repair. A Councillor remarked that the bill for Karamea would he larger. Mr McLean said Karamea would be able to maintain communication with Wellington by means of the scow Fair burn.

Mr Mclntyre said Karamea was back to where it was 25 years ago, and the difficulties of the situation would be accentuated by the rain. It was eventually decided not to strike a new rate at present.

GUARDING AGAINST DISEASE Dt T. Fletcher Telford, Medical Officer of Health, with Inspector Kershaw, is taking drastic action to guard against an epidemic from the use of impure water. He placed a ban on a spring from which hundreds of people were drawing supplies and its further use was rendered impossible by a liberal use of kerosene. This caused some indignation among a section of the townspeople, and a protest meeting was mooted, but Dr Telford is armed with wide powers, ad his efforts for the welfare of the town are meeting with the recognition of the more reasonable. He will allow water to be drawn only from 'wells with a depth of 25ft. or over.

Dr Telford stated that many of the sources from which water was obtained on Friday and Saturday were suspected. Men are working on the pipe line from the reservoir and state that the 14in. mains have been crumpled up. The reservoir walls have crumbled and are now being consolidated.