Another Night of Terror

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 43, 21 February 1938, Page 7

Another Night of Terror

Similar Occurrence Nearer Gisborne MEN! WOMEN AND CHILDREN FLEE IN NIGHT ATTIRE ONE MAN MISSING Per Press Association. GISBORNE, Last Night. In inky darkness with rain falling in torrents, a wall of water eight feet high descended on Boyd’*( camp in the Whareratas at 15 mwutos past three on Saturday morning and a few seconds later, nine hutments accommodating six married couples and six single men had been swept away in a cascade of water. Less than ten minutes previously the camp had been hurriedly aroused by one of the members as the hutments were then surrounded by water which was rapidly rising, and they made a hurried flight in night attire to higher ground. One married man, delayed for a few moments hut in the brief interlude the wall of water descended and lie has not been seen since. His juame is WILLIAM ROBINSON, 32 years of age, married, with two children. Boyd’s camp is a small camp between Bartlett ’u and Muruwai, about 24 miles from Gisborne, and the inmates are employed oil construction work on the Waikokopu-Gisborne railway. Rain fell practically without cessation all day Friday and increased in intensity towards nightfall. A 40-hour week is worked on railway works and four of the single men adopted the not uncommon practise of leaving in the evening to spend the weekend in Gisborne. The camp is situated on the side of the Maraetaha stream which carries a very small amount of water under normal conditions. The quarters are erected some 20 to 30 yards from and about eight feet above the water. Several of the married couples have children. As night came on the rain increased in intensity and became awe-inspiring to the little community who are always, to a great extent, cut off from the world. Above tho noise of the rain on the hutments wa s the ever-increasing roar of the angry waters just a few yards away and a coritinuous rumble as large trees were carried past crashing into each other and huge boulders and logs came rolling down in a never-ending procession. To add to the terror of the night was an inky blackness and anxiously at times doo rs were opened temporarily in an effort t o pierce the darkness to ascertain how the river was rising. Mr. A. Bennie, one of the married men, was particularly anxious and paid several visits to the bank. At 3 o’clock the water came over the top. He hurriedly aroused all the occupants of the camp. In night attire and leaving everything behind, men, women and children scrambled to the higher level at the back of the camp. The last to leave the camp were Bennie and Robinson. Inquiries three times elicited a reply from Robinson that he was all right. Suddenly there seemed to be a cloud-burst for the rain became terrific. Then with a roar like thunder, a solid wall of angry water eight feet high swept the camp. Bennie, who was just nearing higher ground, grabbed an outstretched arm just above him and was saved. Robinson was not seen again. The nine houses were shifted ?n ail directions, the doors being forced open and everything washed out. One married couple’s hutment was carried 15 chains down-stream. Others were upended and badly battered and the terrified people, not even assured of safety though on higher ground, fled almost in panic still further up the hill to the residence of another worker, Mr. E. Larsen, The first married couple and children, drenched to the skin and clad only in night attire, almost fell inside. Then at intervals came others in similar plight and all too dazed almost to realise they were safe. After dawn broke, three cars in the camp were found up-ended or capsized some distance away. The force of the current could be seen when a steel railway truck was found wedged in .the branches of a trejj. It was thought that Robinson may have been trapped in a car and at first efforts were concentrated in that direction. The car was found upside down with its nose buried in silt, and on top of tho vehicle was a railway stock truck. With much effort the door of the car was forced open, but there was no sign of Robinson. In its or ward rush the water carried away the wooden bridge which crosses the Main .South road and this, rusning downstream, appeared to be the lasi straw so far as the modern steel and concrete bridge at Maraetaha is concerned, for it was carried completely away and the huge steel and concrete piles are now lying some distance downstream, thus interrupting communication on the Main South road. Large gangs of men are now busy erecting temporary bridges, but traffic could not pass lato this afternoon.