OTAMATEA ESCAPES LIGHTLY

Northern Advocate, 3 February 1936, Page 8

OTAMATEA ESCAPES LIGHTLY

[Special to ",Northern Advocate.”]

PAPAROA, This Day

In company with the rest of the North, the Otamatea County was swept with torrential rain over the week-end.

Rain commenced to fall early on Saturday morning. and continued throughout the day, while towards the evening the wind increased until a howling gale was blowing, playing havoc with gardens and trees.

1 The flood was the worst experienced in Paparoa for the past 15 years. Preparations were made to vacate Sutherland’s Boardinghouse and Mr W. Dance’s bakery, but the flood did not reach the buijdings, although the highest level was only a few feet away. Mrs C. E. Fenwick had to vacate her home, but the water did not reach the floor of the house. The heaviest loser in the district was Mr C, Quaife, who had his garden devastated by the flood. No losses of stock are reported.

All main roads in the country are open. The Parahi Road is blocked, but will be open in a day or two.

Considering the size of the flood, the Otamatea County escaped very lightly, as on the majority of the roads, only slight damage was done.

The Tramline Road, at Kaiwaka, suffered severely, two bridges being destroyed and the road covered with silt, while the majority of the metalcrushing plant owned by Messrs. Linnell Bros, was swept into the flood by a large, slip.

The lower end of Wairere Road is blocked by a large slip and there are slips on the railway line at Paparoa and Mareretu. There are several minor slips and subsidences on the main highways, but these can be negotiated with care by traffic. Considerable damage was done to battens on the tar-sealing work at present being varied out at Maungaturoto. The Ruawai Flats were a sea of water on Sunday, and the high wind raised “white horses” all over the paddocks. The main highway was covered in several places, but traffic was able to get through. \

The Maungaturoto tennis courts were again inundated, and the club will bo put to considerable expense once more to repair their courts.

Falling trees rendered the telegraph system at Paparoa useless, but repairs are being carried out. Several wires are down on Maungaturoto Exchange.

Mr R. J. Baff was busily occupied on Sunday in assessing the damage done to the county roads and bridges.

Over eight large poplar trees were blown down at Paparoa on Sunday.