THE WHIROKINO ROAD

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3875, 24 November 1928, Page 2

THE WHIROKINO ROAD

MATTER PLACED BEFORE HIGHWAYS BOARD. MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN’S ACTION. The Whirokino road has for a long time past been a constant source of worry to the Manawatu County Council and its chairman (Mr. W. E. Barber) has spent much time and trouble inspecting this highway and devising ways and means of overcoming the flood nuisance. Mr. Barber has just returned from a trip to Wellington Where be interviewed the engineers of the Main Higlnvays Board in connection with the Whirokino road. In conversation with our representative this morning Mr. Barber said the main trouble today appeared to be that once the Moutoa and Whirokino districts were flooded the Government drain was the only outlet to 10,000 acres of pent up flood water, held in confinement. by the.flood banks. This water, with such a small outlet, naturally took a long time to get away and the Whirokino road, being nearest the outlet, was under water for lengthy periods, even with a comparatively light flood.

Mr. Barber said he had been greatly perturbed over the extent of the submersion of this road during the recent flood, particularly so, when on making an inspection of the flooded area a sheep was discovered caught on the top rail of the gravel pit bridge, an evidence of the height the water reached in ifiat locality. Mr. Barber informed our representative that he had pointed out the seriousness of the position to the Main Higlnvays Board engineers while in Wellington and had placed before them a suggestion that the Manawatu County Council and the Higlnvays Board should combine, and, with some little assistance from the Moutoa Drainage Board do something to reduce by at least 50 per cent., the time the flood water lies on the road. The idea was to do something that would immediately alleviate the flood menace. The road would have to be lifted seven feet before it would he safe from flooding, but this, Mr. Barber did not consider a wise thing to do. The best thing to do in the meantime, lie considered, was to have fairly big openings, with flood gates, made in the western banks. During the last flood the Moutoa Drainage Board had consented to the cutting of their hanks to allow the water to escape but this sort of thing was a costly business. The existing drain was far too small to cope with all the water. The Highways Board will give consideration to the scheme advanced by Mr. Barber and also to the bringing of certain low-lying sections of the road up to a level that would not scour. Mr. Barber said that while the Hood was over the Whirokino, blit not sufficient; to prevent traffic, great difficulty had been experienced by those using the highway in passing other vehicles while negotiating the flooded area. Passing places at intervals along the road were urgently required and this matter was also receiving his attention and he hoped in a short time to have passing places made on each straight so that the road would not be for “one way” traffic only when covered by water. “The Council has not forgotten the urgency of having something done in the Whirokino,” said Mr. Barber, “but there are many difficulties to be contended with which are sometimes unknown to the general public. The Manawatu County Council is very much alivd to the position and will press the matter on with all urgency.”