TORRENT AT WOOD'S ROAD

Northern Advocate, 3 February 1936, Page 6

TORRENT AT WOOD'S ROAD

Another bridge in Whangarei to suffer was that in Woods’ Road, which crosses the Waiarohia Stream. At the town end, the road was scoured away from the end of the structijre, and the road was blocked.

At this "point, the stream, which carries the flow of both the Waiarohia and Raumanga creeks, is particularly venomous. The swollen volume of water burst under the two big bridges a little further upstream and gouged its way across the flat land between the railway bridge and Woods’. Two launches tied to Woods’ Bridge were hard-pressed to retain their position, and one owner kept vigil until almost daylight when the worst was over. Mr J. P. Woods had his launch Valencia, on his skid on the bank of the stream. Luckily he had connected a stout rope to a poplar tree in case of trouble which the boat duly met. The torrent swept the craft off the skid, smashing its “cradle” to matchwood and leaving the launch lying on its side high and dry. *

Water in Houses.

No residents in the vicinity had water in their houses but a bach occupied by Mr J. Edwards was dislodged from its foundations and moved several feet. The occupier had had to quit his abode during Saturday and had left practically all his belongings behind. Much of what has not been lost is ruined, and Mr Edwards was unable to sleep in his bach on either Saturday or Sunday night. Mr N. Hollows’ home nearby had water up to the top step at the back, and, with his family, he was forced to leave early on Saturday afternoon for fear of his house being seriously flooded out. His garden was absolutely wrecked.

At least 20 of the drums of benzine swept away from the dairy factory were left lying among tangled fences in this vicinity.