AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 83, 7 April 1924, Page 8

AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE

'■■■ Z::' ' '■'■ -V- V';''-:ATJCKLANb/'This Xtayl: ' ''Several; iriciderits'- connected .'with' tlie tout of the flooded "regions',by itlie Hon. J. G. Coat.es serve to indicate how'rapid the rise of flood waters."7On.Thursday an unpleasant experience' befell .'the ; Minister.s private stenographer, Mrs. N 4 -L. Churches, who set out from" Darga■ville b^ ear at 10' a.m. 'with the object of joining the .jUinister .at ■ AYhangare'f." Ihe car was .'proceeding"in" pouring rain along Houto, road, when the ' en'gins stopped as the car was - fording -; a waterJogged . stretch. Efforis to Vet'the e n gine, going ..failed, water .having 'entered .the carburetter. / Mrs.' Churches waded' to dry land, while'a team of horses was iprocured.to drag the car out.-1 The waters. rose rapidly -until they lapped-over the lioor. : It was then discovered that the: travellers were : rharooned. ■■-' As the ■flood had covered the road, behind theim it was impossible to get the car back - -the only way put was.to traverse a min-' iature..lake~'on horseback.. Upon , this being satisfactorily accomplished, Mrs Churches proceeded ,back to the. township she had loft some' hours previously, and was made as comfortable as possible at-the store. She was'later conveyed to Dargaville by car. Four other'cars'were marooned at the -same spot ;, hi the afternoon. ' , >