HOLIDAY MARRED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 251, 23 October 1944, Page 6

HOLIDAY MARRED

EXPERIENCE IN WAIKATO

FLOODING IN lA>W AREAS

(0.C.) HAMILTON, this day. Heavy rain during Saturday and Sunday marred the first portion of the holiday at the week-end over a wide area of the Waikato, the fall being the most substantial for some time. In the 48 hours ended at 9 o'clock this morning 1.23 in of rain were recorded an Hamilton. During the last three days 1.68 in fell, this equalling the figure for the nionth hitherto.

After steady rain on Saturday morning an improvement was seen in the afternoon, but there were showers again during the night. Yesterday morning found leaden skies, which soon developed into a heavy downpour. There was considerable flooding in low areas. Streams were swollen and the Waikato River was discoloured and at its highest level since a year ago.

Early on Sunday afternoon a hot sun broke through, but there were several showers. This morning the sky was almost clear, but by ■ midmorning it had clouded over and the first of the day's showers fell. A slip on the Cambridge main road caused inconvenience to traffic yesterday. Some traffic was diverted through Matangi, but it was not long before a path had been cleared round the slip, which occurred in Leslie's Gully, half a mile-south of: the junction with the Hamilton-Mqrrinsr. ville Road. A heap of debris a chain long and four to five Seet in depthj with gorse and fern intermingled, required the efforts of a Main Highways Board gang of six men with a truck for five hours before the. road was restored to normal at 6 o'clock in the evening.

The Hamilton Bowling Club's open tourney which was to have been held to-day was cancelled on Saturday.