SUBMERGED COUNTRYSIDE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 189, 15 July 1925, Page 8

SUBMERGED COUNTRYSIDE.

TRAVELLER’S EXPERIENCE. ROUTE OF SUGGESTED DEVIATION. A Palmerston North resident, who recently had occasion to undertake the round trip from Palmerston North to Foxton to Levin to Shannon and return found bis path strewn with difficulties. It was during the recent spell of bad weather when the volume of water proved beyond the carrying capacity of several of the rivers and streams throughout the district, with the consequence of flooded roads and fields.

The first portion of the journey was negotiated by train, but on arrival at Foxton motor transit was sought and the second stage entered upon. Little did the traveller realise what difficulties had to be faced ere he reached his second destination. Levin. On reaching the neighbourhood of the Whirokino bridge he was dismayed to find a big stretch of the countryside submerged and the road impassable. A transfer was made to a small flatbottomed boat and for some considerable distance progress was made over an inland lake, to a point where the road was again passable, passing on route a herd of cattle which was being driven to a less dangerous section of the country. ...

Naturally, the unwelcome visitation more or less affected the whole communitv and the same method of transportation had to be resorted to in the conveying of the mails over the flooded area. Opportunity was taken by the Palmerstonian to take a number of snapshots of the countryside and they convey verv realistically in picture form 'the nature of the area through which the supporters of the LevinGreatford Railway League urge that the railway deviation be made.