REFUGEES AT KAWAKAWA

Northern Advocate, 3 February 1936, Page 8

REFUGEES AT KAWAKAWA

Kawakawa, during the week-end has been a town of refugees. In addition to the 60 train passengers, who were deviated from the Okaihau line, and who have been billeted out among the local residents, a number of farmers who were shopping on Saturday were unable to return to their homes. Others abandoned their residences in face of the rapidly rising floods, and sought safety in the town. Kawakawa, itself, was a flood centre, and water to a depth of several feet, entered the Star Hotel, and other business places on the main street.

The grounds upon which the show was to have been held on Saturday were many feet under water by nightfall. Footpaths and roads were damaged.

Only the roof of the Northern Steam Ship Company’s shed, at Derrick Landing, Taumarere, was showing on Sunday morning. A number of men, who set out from Kawakawa to protect eight boats moored at Taumarere, had to chop their way through trees and remove slips along the road. They succeeded in their mission. The flats to the north of the town were flooded to a great depth.

Over the Headlamps.

Late yesterday afternoon Mr E. D. Taylor, garage proprietor, of Kawakawa, succeeded in driving through to Kawakawa, the first traveller to do so since the floods. In places the water across the road washed in waves over the headlamps of his six-ton truck. Although signs of the devastation wrought by the flood were apparent on all sides, the road surface had escaped with little serious damage. At Towai, 30 travellers, mostly school teachers, spent an enforced night at the hotel.