WORST IN MEMORY

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 28, 3 February 1936, Page 9

WORST IN MEMORY

TARANAKI'S PLIGHT. DEVASTATION AT WAITARA. WHOLE PROVINCE SWEPT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, this day. With practically no warning, a steady downpour of rain on Saturday afternoon developed suddenly on Saturday night in to the worst.storm within living ; memory. To the rain was added wind of hurricane force from the south and south-east, culminating in what was practically a country-wide gale between i 8 and 10 a.m. yesterday in Taranaki. The storm had practically subsided 1 at dusk last night, but the havoc wrought was so extensive that it is impossible to estimate the extent of the damage, or even to obtain any complete idea of what damage has been done. Telegraph and telephone lines were : down in hundreds all over the country. ; A number of roads were completely ■ blocked, and many slips put the Stratford Main Trunk line and other rail- ! ways out of action. From all parts of ; Taranaki come similar stories. There is unprecedented devastation at ' Waitara. A large section of the frecz--1 ing works chimney was blown down, a . warehouse was levelled to the ground. ' and further damage was caused to the main north road bridge, which had to | be closed to traffic. Inglewood Hard Hit. Inglewood town appeared after the 1 storm like a shambles. The roof was !' lifted off the Anglican Church and in--1 describable damage done to buildings and property. At New Plymouth the Frankleigli i Park public hall collapsed in a tangled mass of wood and iron. Damage was I caused at the port to small boats. A j launch and two fishing launches are still , out and grave anxiety is being' felt concerning one of them, in which Mr. W. , F. McLeod, the owner, and his son. ' Angus, left on Saturday morning. , Similarly, at Hawera, Patea and other . Taranaki towns, the cyclonic wind ! caused damage right and left. Ingle- - wood seems to have fared worst. An excursion train from Taranaki to Taumarunui yesterday had to turn back because of slips on the line. 1 The main north road is blocked bv slips in the Awakino Valley, but it was 1 reported late last night that cars could get through, though great care was \ necessary. The Uruti Valley was rc- ! ported to be heavily flooded and Urenui was a scene of wild desolation. Out of Touch. Telephone, telegraph and power lines - were brought down, and for a large part i of yesterday it was impossible to get a - toll call from New Plymouth. Except for a, few miles, the telegraph service was put completely out of action, and did not function at all last night, though telephone communication was re-established last night from New Plymouth to Waverley, from Hawera to Manaia and over several shorter routes. * Much of the province is still isolated, trees being down over both telephone and telegraph lines. i TAMAKI TEMPEST. L CAMPERS START FOR HOME. TENTS REDUCED TO SHREDS. Residents for many years along '.he banks of the Tamaki had never seen , the river in such tempest as that into i which it was whipped yesterday by the storm. Following a strong wind with : driving rain for most of the night, the gale developed on the rising tide during ; the forenoon, and small craft, launches . and larger vessels suffered considerably. i Flood conditions were experienced in a number of sections along the water- , front, and at the back of the settlement in low-lying areas, while the storm during the night had inflicted much inconvenience on the many campers in the district. t "Buhdle and go" was the order, an: 1 . 1 several families under canvas had to make a hurried evacuation of their 1 sites long before the first streaks <_f , dawn had made their appearance. In 5 some cases campers did not even take j time to "bundle." As the day advanced v the gale strengthened, and in the foreg noon several of the stately pines in the s reserve crashed and garages were swept r away. In one case the roof of a gara;>e and fuel slied was lifted bodily and carried a distance of nearly 130 ft l:o crash on to a road, which fortunately , was deserted at the time. d