HEAVY RAINFALL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 31, 5 January 1945, Page 4

HEAVY RAINFALL

2.69 in. IN 48 HOURS

JANUARY'S BAD START

December Tvas an extraordinarily wet month in J»almerston North and district, 7.14 in being registered, and January has made a bad start, the total rainfall in the 48 hours ended at 9.30 a.m. today being 2.69 in. Yesterday 1.33 in were recorded and today 1.36 m, the first rains of the New Year. In consequence of this heavy downpour seasonal farming operations, haymaking and shearing, are being seriously retarded. The humid weather is also causing blight in potato crops in the district. Today was showery, with hardly an indication of an early improvement. The Kawau Stream is causing a great deal of trouble in the Takaro district. It is running about 2ft under the bridge near the intersection of Featherston and Shamrock Streets and has risen about Bft or 9ft in the past two days. Because of its height the drains are Slot being emptied and, consequently, at the northern end of Shamrock Street the water is overflowing the gutters and in some instances flowing on to lawns of properties with a low frontage, 'ike Takaro Bowling, Tennis, and Croquet Club's asphalt tennis court is covered by about 14in of water and the bowling green, on which the pairs tournament was to have been continued, is submerged to ix depth of about 4in. The water is still rising and can be observed seeping through the banks. Fields on either side ot the stream are also flooded. The flooding of the Takaro district from the Kawau" Stream was the subject of a deputation to the City Council at its last meeting, when steps were put in train to have the nuisance remedied.

The rain again interfered with the Manawatu Bowling Centre's tournament, play being held up this morning on two greens. Near \\ hakarongo low-lying land has been inundated to a considerable depth in many places. The tops of the fence posts are completely obscured in the lowest sections. The Maugaone Stream has also overflowed its banks in the vicinity of Bunnythorpe and flooded several paddocks. The river gauge at 1.30 showed a level of Bft.