NORTHERN COUNTIES

Northern Advocate, 3 February 1936, Page 10

NORTHERN COUNTIES

HEAVY FLOODING SLIGHT STOCK LOSSES SETTLERS TAKE PRECAUTIONS, [Special to “Northern Advocate.”! KAIKOHE, This Day.

Although heavy flooding occurred in the Hokianga, Bay of Islands and Whangaroa counties, only slight stock losses have been reported. Farmers no doubt took advantage of the warning when the rain set in on Saturday morning, and removed their stock to high ground. At Kaikohe, for the 24 hours from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, 8.5 inches of rain fell.

No damage is reported at Kaikohe other than a chimney, which was blown down at Bell and Company’s

premises. On Saturday night Kaikohe wa.l completely isolated, there being large areas of water at Jephcoate’s and Morfette’s bridges. The Kaikohe--Waimatenui road was blocked, and considerable damage I done to fences in this area. I Roads and Bridges Suffer. As during last year’s severe floods, the district on the Kaikohe—Rawene road suffered severely. Spender’s bus was unable to get to Rawene on Saturday night owing to the Taheke bridge being under water. Inspection last night disclosed that the bridge will require strengthening before heavy traffic can negotiate it. At Taheke, Sister Dobbie, whose residence fronts the main road, had to be rescued with a horse, and at the height of the flood the water was flowing through her house. Numbers of farmers in all districts have lost maize and other crops, and hay stacks are scattered everywhere. All the main roads in the district have numerous minor washouts, and in some cases are down to the foundation, although they are still passable. At Waima the river has taken a course in front of Kelly’s store, where the main road formerly was, and the metal has been washed completely away. The Opononi—Waimamaku highway is blocked by a slip in the Waimam'aku Gorge, and it is also reported that a bridge has been washed away. There were no launch services for 24 hours on the Hokianga River. The Ronaki got out over the Hokianga bar on Saturday night. The heavy northerly wind was favourable. The Narrows—Kohukohu road is blocked by a heavy slip. Travellers Held Up. The service car reached Horeke from Ohaeawai via Rangiahua with passengers and mails yesterday afternoon. |

Kaeo was completely isolated on Saturday night, and the main road throughout the town is stripped of metal and is like a quarry. Mails were got from Mangonui yesterday afternoon after they had been transhipped to the other side of a bad slip at Oruaiti. The Kaeo-Okaihau road to Puketi is blocked with large slips everywhere.

Mr J. Hoke, of Whangaroa, lost I's pigs and two cows. The swing bridge at Whiteheads

was carried away. The Northern express did not reach Kaikohe on Saturday night. The Rakarutao railway bridge had a mark showing the record height of the record flood in 1904. This was covered by water on Saturday night. The express returned to Otiria, as the water was rising so rapidly that it was forced to return to Kawakawa with mails and passengers. Four or five feet of water rose at Otiria. The train is completely marooned at Kawakawa. There are washouts at Moerewa and Taumarere. At the racecourse at Kawakawa there was over 6 feet of water flowing through Godfrey’s garage, and it is reported to be the largest on record. It is not expected that the railway services will commence again before three days. Passengers on the northern express are at Kawakawa today, and were accommodated at private houses, -as the hotels were full. This morning the water is falling rapidly, but the roads are still impassable to traffic. There are several bad slips on the Kaikohe-Whangarei main; highway through the Mangakahia gorge, but it is expected that these will be cleared this evening. Mail Services Disorganised. All mail services are disorganised, but postal officials are working strenuously to have these back to

normal running. The Paihia-Kaikohe road is impassable, and several travellers and lorry drivers are cut off in the Mangamuka Gorge. They were forced to spend the night in their vehicles, with the water swirling round them. In other districts, the flood was so severe that many large trees were uprooted. In several cases these blocked the road until they could be removed.

There was extensive damage to kumara plots at Kaikohe, Waima and Whirinaki, and throughout most of the three counties.