STORMY WEATHER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 174, 23 July 1907, Page 3

STORMY WEATHER.

THE GALE IN - WAIHL

<By. Telegraph—Own Correspondent.)

WAIHI, Monday. News to hand from. Waikino states that the gale -was very severe in that quarter, the roofs of several houses being severely damaged.

The Borough Engineer informed mc to-day that practically no damage has been done in the Borough. A washout and subsidence took place on the mullocking contract works of Mr. Fabris. Hundreds of tons came down which' will hinder progress for the time. '.

■Mr. C. B. Devereux furnishes the following rainfall statistics: The fall recorded to the 21st, was 2.93 inches,-the amount" recorded, to 22nd bein«r 3.23 inches or a total of 6.16 inches for the 44 hours. The rainfall for the year to, date is 77.82 inches, or 10.2 per cent of the average rainfall, for the past eight years.

Two Maoris who had been in to witness the representative football match on Saturday afternoon had an unpleasant experience. They left Waihi for Bowentown well on in the evening, after several refreshers, and when just this side of Hikurangi Creek, one of them, named Wiritiri, fell off the of the dray and lay in a. stupor on the roadside, his companion meanwhile driving on in ignorance of his disappearance. Another party driving behind discovered him on the road and at the creek a haJfcaete named David Faulkner lent him his horse to cross the swollen stream. The Maori, however, in his muddled condition, instead of crossing, headed Ms horse down the stream and was soon disappearing in the roaring n»ha.mn»i Yesterday horse and native were discovered on the beach, having been exposed to all the weather of Saturday night and the early' morning of Sunday. The saddle, bridle, and horse cover were gone, and the horse showed unmistakable evidences of having swam for a great distance and struggled against the strong current. The Maori was naturally in an exhausted condition.

HEAVY FLOOD AT THAMES.

MINING INTERRUPTED.

(By Telegraph.—Own correspondent.)

THAMES, Monday.

A severe gale, with a heavy downpour which culminated in floods, occurred on Saturday evening, and continued without intermission until Sunday afternoon. In the Hauraki Gulf the sea, rose considerably, and vessels had to run for shelter.

All the rivers and creeks were swollen, and the Kaueranga River overflowing flooded the surrounding land. The lowlying portions of Parawai were under water, and live stock were saved with difficulty.

A large landslip took place at the head of the water-race, and considerable da-mage has been done in Thames by the wind and rain, Reid's shop being unroofed, and the verandah blown down. Several doors of shops were blown in, an-d the stock damaged.

Washouts on the railway line interfered with the regular running of trains, and workmen hay« been engaged day and night effecting repairs. Several washouts and landslips are reported in all parts of the district.

The gale is one'of the most violent experienced:, for years. Bfetween Eopu and Parawai the railway line is flooded for a' considerable area, and between Hikutaia and Oraahu the line is covered, for fully half-a-miJe.

Between Tapu and Waiomo the road is one series of slips, leaving just room for a horse to pass.

Batteries and machines were prohibited from using water to-day, but the prohibition will be removed "to-morrow, as repairs have been effected to the race.

FLOODS IN OHINEMURL

RESIDENTS REMOVED IN VEHIC

LES.

MUCH DAMAGE DCCNE.

(From Onr Own Correspondent.)

PAEROA, Monday.

On Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock a drizzling rain set in and continued until 8 o'clock, when the rain came down in a regular deluge, accompanied by a heavy south-easterly gale, This continued for 24.hours with the result that the river and creek rose rapidly, and by half-past one on Sunday afternoon' the town was under water. The main street assumed, the aspect of a mill-race, caused through the river breaking over the banks. Brakes were out all afternoon rescuing people from their homes in the lower lying portion of the town. The streets continued to be flooded until the ebb tide en Monday morning early. In places the water was three to four feet deep alongside the main street, and at least two feet deep on the crown of the roadway. Up to three o'clock on Monday afternoon the lower lying portions of the district were covered with four feet of water, and the roads also were submerged.

The gale did a large amount of damage to property, fences, roofs and chimneys being taken down. In the main street a balcony on the old hotel was taken away bodily. A stable and cart-shed, owned by a man named Treanor, was blown inside out,, and portions of the roof carried a distance of a quarter of a mile.

The train service has been disorganised. The trains from Thames and Waihi managed to get through, though each exceeded the time specified on the time table by an hour and a half to two hours.

The telegraph lines were interrupted in all directions, no messages of any description being got through to Auckland.

DAMAGE AT COROMANDEL.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

COROMANDEL, Monday.

A very strong gale, accompanied by heavy rain, commenced at mid l day on Saturday, and continued until last night. The creeks were very high, and it is reported that considerable damage has been done to roads in out-districts. Several buildings and fences in the township were damaged by wind.