Huge tree turns home invader

ROGER MORONEY
Napier Hill resident Steve Donovan was staying calm and collected yesterday despite a fallen macrocarpa tree in his garage and lying across the roof of his house - and water pouring through shattered ceilings into the kitchen, bathroom and lounge.
``This was a disaster waiting to happen and it was preventable,' he said, as wife Pam shifted household items away from the spreading water with rain continuing to fall through the badly damaged roof.
``There is no point in getting angry, though. We are calm and will go with the system.'
The only thankful part was that they had been out at the time when the huge tree, on an exposed slab of hillside behind their Karaka Rd home, gave in to the high winds and driving rain.
``If I'd been in the garage ... who knows,' Mr Donovan said.
As it was, a hotrod he was building there had been left badly damaged.
``It should have been removed by now,' he said of the tree, which would have to be lifted off carefully by crane.
He said that three months ago the Hawke's Bay Regional Council removed noxious privet from the hillside, which left the tree exposed. Believing it to be dangerous, he asked if the regional council would remove it, but it was pointed out that it was likely to be on Napier City Council land.
Which, it transpired, it was - although Mr Donovan said council officers also discovered the house they had been in for nearly 14 years was slightly amiss in its survey boundaries.
The boundary issue, which was eventually resolved, deflected the focus from removing the tree, he said, although he was told by an arborist the tree ``had to go' because it would be susceptible to rain and wind.
Mr Donovan said he believed Parks and Reserves staff were aware it was dangerous, but that the paperwork to remove the tree got ``lost in the system' and no one signed off the order to bring it down.
A council spokesperson told the Donovans yesterday the paperwork to remove the tree was put through but ``had not come back'.
``They spend money on walkways and things but they haven't looked after this ratepayer,' Mr Donovan said.
While unable to get much joy from council departments over the responsibility issue, Mr Donovan had more success with his insurance company which sent an assessor.
Parks and Reserves staff had also been to see the Donovans, although manager Tony Billing was unable to be contacted today.
Clean-up crews were at the house today and the road had been cordoned off.
Houses in Hastings and Havelock North were also hit by falling trees.