HIGH FLOODS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 60, 12 March 1935, Page 8

HIGH FLOODS.

RAIN IN NORTH. MANY ROADS BLOCKED MOTOR TRAFFIC HELD UP. DELUGE ON EAST COAST. (By Telegraph.— Own Correspondent.) WHAXGARET, this day. With an overnight rainfall, which, in Whangarei almost readied the highest record since 1017, parts of t,lic North are again flooded. One of the most serious .aspects of the (loads is the isolation of Kaeo, the flooding again of the Mangakahiu, where it is reported •hat conditions are worse than last month, and the disrupting of road communication between Whangarei and the. far North. At 0 a.m. to-day the rainfall recorded at Whangarei was 4.00 in. Since it was commenced taking records in 1917, the heaviest fall in one day has been 5.00 in in July, 1020. At Whangarei last night a high wind from the north-east lashed around the houses all night. At times the gusts wore so strong that houses rocked and havoc was done to gardens. Road communication with the North is cut off, and the Mangakahia route is under water in several places. At VVhakapara the water has reached an extraordinary height, and the Russell Koad is impassable. Also, it is too rougii in the Bay of Islands Harbour for the I.lunches to make tho trip between Russell and Paihia. Water is again over the road north of Kawakawa. Roads Like Rivers. To the south conditions are also bad in places. A report from IJareretU atated there was Bft of water in the lowest part of the road between Taipuha and Mareretu. It is impossible to get the mails from the Mareretu Post Office to the railway station, half a mile away. The railway services are normal, except that the express was delayed between Kaikohe and Otiria by a slip this morning.

The most serious blockage in the Mangakahia has occurred at Ruddell's and Tim's Flat, between Pakotai and Parakao, where 9ft of water was across the road this morning. The service ear from Awarua only got through as far :is Pakotai. The "Star" was informed by telephone that it was impossible to get into or leave Kaeo. Water entered tho Methodist Church, and communication with Mangomii was cut off by the flooded ford at Oruaiti.

In Waima the Maoris in the lower settlement last night left their homes to sleep in the native church, which is on high ground. Roads are flooded. Kaikohe Show Again Put Off. Approximately 4J inches of rain fell in Kaihoke Inst night, and a slip on the branch line between Otiria and Kaikohe delayed the express about 40 minutes this morning. The- KaikoheI'awene service car could not get through. For the second time the Kaikohe Show has been postponed. : Further north the rain has not been fo heavy. Kaitaia reports a showery (lay yesterday and spasmodic rain last night. So far as the local supply of cream Is concerned, tho Hikurangi Co-opera-tive Dairy Co., Ltd., has suffered worse this flood than on any occasion dining the last 13 nionthe. It is impossible to pick up the cream from over 300 settlers, the following routes being blocked:—Kaimamakau - Helena Bay, Opuawhanga-Whananaki, Mania-Wha-muiaki. Services are being organised on deviated routes. Block Near Whakapara. Usually when all other routes to the North are blocked it is possible for the :raftic to use the Whangarei-Kussell road, but this morning the route was blocked less than a quarter of a mile from the turn-off near Whakapara. Near Mr. Finlayson's property the flats are covered to a depth of about four feet. The flood waters extend over 100 yards on each side of a large bridge, which stands as an island.

. Whangarei Town Floods. ETerbside channels inadequate to deal with the extraordinary rush of water resulted in Whangarei "footpaths becoming nooded in many places to-day. The water overflowed into the manholes, and consequently telephone cables became waterlogged. This niorninsr 100 telephones in-the Maunu district were in* operative. Faults were rectified as the cables were overhauled and each individual wire dried out.