Water Breaks Through

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 142, 18 June 1936, Page 6

Water Breaks Through

The combined efforts of 20 men engaged in sand-bagging operations to hold back the flood-swollen waters of tlie Manawatu at Coley’s bend were brought to nought at midnight when the flood broke through the old bank and commenced to fill up the depression between the main bank and the loop bank.

When the “Times” was in telephonic communication with Mr. A. Gillespie, mill manager at Miranui, just after midnight it was estimated that it would take only about half an hour before the water commenced to flow over this second protective barrier and commence to overrun the countryside.

The properties of Messrs B. Coley, P. P. Wall and C. H. Spiers will be immediately affected and the farms comprising the Miranui properties to a lesser extent. While some stock had heen shifted from these localities last night dairy herds still remained at the mercy of the visitation and would have to be removed hurriedly to higher ground. Air. Gillespie said that the river was still at its full height at midnight and it would require a fall of 2ft. to stop the river flowing through the breach that had been made.

Progress of the Flood

RIVER FALLS AT PALMERSTON NORTH. From a maximum registration of loft, at the Fitzherbert bridge gauge, Palmerston North, -which was attained at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon and held until 6 p.m., there was a progressive fall in the volume of water until only 10ft. 1 showed ou the recorder at 2 a.m. Detailed readings for the twelve

hours prior to two o’clock this morning are:—

2 p.m., 15ft.; 6 p.m., 15ft.; 6.15 p.m., ,14ft. £)in.; i 7.30 p.m., 14ft. Gin.; 7.45 p.m., 14ft. 3in.; S p.m., 14ft.; J) P- lU -, 14ft.; 10 p.m., 13ft. 6in.; 11 p.m., 13ft.; midnight, 12ft. Bin.; 1.30 a.m., 10ft. Din.; 2 a.m., 10ft.