UNFORTUNATE PUHOI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18679, 8 April 1924, Page 8

UNFORTUNATE PUHOI.

A SECOND INUNDATION. MAIN STREET FLOODED. . WATER THEN SUBSIDES, LITTLE FURTHER DAMAGE. The unlucky town of Puhoi, which was so heavily smitten by the flood last Thursday, was again in trouble yesterday. Almost continuous rain fell in the district from Saturday to Monday, and yesterday morning the river again rose ••apidly. In the course of the afternoon it flooded the main street, which had been hardly cleared of the debris deposited last week. Once more it threatened the business places of Messrs. Scholium and Titford, in which the post and telephone offices are situated, and their occupants, warned by their former bitter experience, made preparations to evacuate the premises. Advice was received in the city about 4 o'clock in the afternoon that the water was within a foot of the steps of the Puhoi post office. That, however, seems to have been its maximum height, for later in the evening it was learned that the flood had begun to subside, and that no further danger to the town was apprehended, though rain was still falling. The damage caused by yesterday's inundation was not serious, but chiefly from the fact that practically all destruction that was possible, short of the sweepingaway of the business premises;, was consummated last week.

Heavy rain again set in on Saturday afternoon throughout the region affected by Thursday's floods in the Waiwera River and its tributary, the Wainui, and continued throughout the week end, with only a Settle intermission ton Sunday morning. All day yesterday it continued to pour, but lightened somewhat towards evening. Both the Waiwera and Wainui again overflowed their banks yesterday, and flooded a considerable riverside area. Lata in the afternoon, however, the waters began to fall, and by evening the rivers had returned to their ordinary banks. With such persistent rain, falling upon country already saturated, and with extensive cracks formed behind the existing landslips, it was inevitable that the loss of pasture to the settlers was considerably aggravated, but no news has been received of any other form of dedestruction.

The long bridge near the month of the Waiwera, on the Great North Road, received a severe buffetting in the course of the last few days from the force of the river, and the impact of the hundreds of logs that were swept down. Residents in the Hot Springs Hotel watched the structure with anxiety all through Thursday, and again on Sunday and yesterday, and were at times doubtful if it would survive the strain. Although it swayed ominously at times, the bridge remained intact, and is still safe for traffic, but it will probably require repair and strengthening.

A PREVIOUS FLOOD.

GREAT DAMAGE IN WAIKATO. RIVER STEAMERS IN USE. EXPERIENCE OF FEBRUARY, 1907. Exceptional flooding of the Waikato occurred in January, 1907, -as the result of a fierce north-west gale, accompanied by an incessant and heavy downpour of rain. The Waikato River rose so rapidly, the level rising at the rate of lin. every 10 minutes, that the country on the lower reaches of the river -was quickly inundated. Two days after the commencement of the gale the railway line at Mercer was under -water to such a depth, and wash-outs were so numerous, that traffic on the Auckland-Rotorua line had to bo suspended, the line between Manurewa and Wairangi, a distance of 40 miles, also being under water. The following day communication with Pukekohe was re-established, but it was net until the fourth day that passengers for Rotorua were able to embark on their journey, and then only by taking train to Pokeno, and thence proceeding by river steamer to Ngaroawahia. From the Waikato town they were taken by train to Rotorua. Boats at Refreshment Rooms. The scene of the flood at Mercer was described as one of utter desolation. A miniature river ran through the tunnel, and there was a foot of water in the railway station refreshment room. Meals were served to passengers by assistants in gum boot*.

There was a large landslip on the south side of the Mercer tunnel, while half a mile further on the whole side of a hill slipped, carrying away about three chains of the railway track and a stretch of telegraph wires. On the Auckland aide of the Whangamarino Bridge another large landslip occurred. The Union Collieries mines were flooded, but the miners got out safely before the worst stage of the flood. Such conditions dkl not daunt railway passengers, who "walked a plank" from the train to special boats in the flood. These boats called at the Mercer refreshment rooms, and passengers entered through the windows for meals. There were many landslips along the flooded river. There were exciting scenes in the floods at .Ngaruawahia, '.vhere many dwellings were flooded to a depth of sft., but there were no casualties. Damage throughout Central Waikato •was extensive, there having been a large loss of stock. In many localities the floods were worse than anything known in the experience of the oldest settlers. It is of interest now to note that Mr. W. F. Massey, M.H.R., introduced to the Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, a deputation from Pukekohe est, asking the Government for assistance to repair damaged roads and bridges in the district, the member expressing pleasure at the Premier's satisfactory reply. Continuous Bain for Three Days. The rainfall in Auckland for that disastrous month was 7.45 in., falling on 11 days. This was the greatest, fall then recorded. The previous heavy falls in January were:—l9o3, 7.13 in.; 1877 5.99 in.; 1897, 5.58 in.; and in. 1882* 5.22 in. ' The heaviest continuous rain ever recorded in Auckland to that date was in February, 1869, when it rained without cessation from the afternoon of the 9th to 8 a.m. on tho 12th, the total for three days being 8.99 in. , Heavy rain also occurred later ii. the month, bringing the total up to 14.15 in., which was then by far the largest amount -ever recorded for a single month. The consequent floods in tho Waikato were very much greater than those of 1307, but then there were no railways or roads to be blocked, and fewer bridges to damage, so that earlier floods did not appear so destructive •as those in recent times. Hi nee last Thursday, including the initial deluge, the rainfall in Auckland up to 9 a.m. yesterday was E.07i0,