MOKIHINUI DAM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 29 July 1929, Page 8

MOKIHINUI DAM

DESTRUCTION DELAYED , -RETAIN WORK AT WESTPORT Al (lie weekly meeting of tlie (Juller Relief Committee the reports yf : payments to date showed that only £ll3 11s 6d had been spent on repairs in the town, reports the. Westport correspondent iff the “Press. ’ liirchfield, about fourteen miles north, has not yet had chimneys or water supply repaired. The lower part of Westport is still without either water or gas. but the residents there have now become accustomed to their lot and make little complaint. Repairs, to- the 14-incli main are. proceeding. and the line is now sound to the Oi'awaiti bridg'e. (treat relief will be felt when the increased pressure , • is available in case of fires', which have fortunately not occurred since the* earthquake. The dijn.i in (he Mokihinui River has not yet been dynamited, as great difficulty lias been experienced in transporting the explosives and necessary apparatus. Approximately 400 Tb of explosives are now at tin; dam, and drills arc being packed up for the necessary preliminary work, lit order to give warning of 'the result of the charge carrier pigeons are to he utilised to send messages from the dam to .Millcrton. -V telephone message will then be sent to Mr Laurenson, engineer in charge at Seddonville, so that there will be time to make arrangements to vacate the township'if the dipiger necessitates this step. It is to be hoped that the dam will empty itself gradually and thus not undo the good work done by the Public Works men, The coal mines are again working lull time, and the wharf will be in operation till !1 p.in. this week. With no waterside labour .at night the coal shipments have been iti danger of accumulating and causing a shortage of trucks. Only one. of the brick class-rooms at the Slate School is so far in use, .but repairs to the roof and doors will enable three classes to return to previous looms as soon as the tremors subside. It. is rather, interesting to note that the great slips near the Mokihinui River can be seen dearly from Westport if the visibility is good. As these slips are approximately thirty miles distant, they must he of considerable size to attract notice. During their visit last week Sir Charles and Lady .Alice Eergusson paid ,i visit to the hospital and were photographed at the bedside of little Kola Dent, who was so seriously injured at the Public School on T7th June. The invalid is progressing satisfactorily, hut is not yet out of danger of having to nedergo a. srrien-- epciaimn.