GISBORNEDISTRICT

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 15

GISBORNEDISTRICT

SETTLERS ANXIOUS

(By Telegraph.—Pjess Association.) GISBOKNE, May 26. In- forty-eight hours the country in the vicinity of Gisborne has tyeea transformed from a drought-stricken area into every indication of a flood. 4 For nine weeks practically no rain had fallen, and the, pastures in the country and lawns in Gisborne were khaki coloured, reminiscent of. midsummer. Early this week the borough council prohibited the use of hoses for lclwns and gardens. Now an almost magical transformation has .taken places., -.-,- • '.' Light rain. commenced to .fall ■on Wednesday, and increased to heavy and continuous downpour-all the afternoon, and gives no- indication of discontinuing, four inches falling in the last. thirty hours. The Waimata River was tonight twenty feet above normal, reaching the level of the disastrous floods -which occurred in February last year. The Waipaoa has risen six or seven feet above normal. ; .■..•■■ v Settlers im the back country are very anxious, and removing stock to higher lands. ' '■■• ■'. ' ' ~/"•• In Mangapapa, a suburb of Gisborne, one foot of water covers the main toad and the adjacent low-lying area. . At 10.30 p.m. heavy rain was still falling. North and south roads were reported passable, all cars getting: through without trouble. . , i . ■