THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMIRI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1924. PAEROA’S DANGER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4681, 31 March 1924, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMIRI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1924. PAEROA’S DANGER.

There was a good deal of uneasiness in portions of the business area on Saturday, when it was though:, that a flood was imminent. With the knov lec ge that the spillway of the Ohbiemuri River in the time of flood has now been stop-banked, and that the river had risen several £ee u , there was some cause for alarm. The attention of the Minister of Public Works and Railways lias been drawn to the stop banking being left in seen an unsafe manner, and a request has been forwarded by the Borough Council that steps be taken to remove the d Should a flood, take place it is certain that Paeroa township must suffer tremendously owing to the fart that the stop-banks on the southern ba.-k of the river are now. completed and are higher than those on the township side. This means that the whole of the flood water must now pass' down the river channel. The danger is also increased by two gaps being left, one at the traffic bridge and the other at the railway bridge. It would seem pretty certain that should a flood of any magnitude occur these bridges must suffer damage, if not be wholly washed away, thus cutting off the beans of communication by road and railway. In the flood of January, 1922, these bridges were then in danger, but the position now is much more precarious, and calls for immediate action if private as well as public property is to be protected. It is to be sincerely hoped that the Minister of Public Works and Railways will give early instruction to have the bridges raised to the proposed lex els and the gaps in the stop-banks filled;