WORST STAGE OVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19391, 28 July 1926, Page 12

WORST STAGE OVER.

IMPROVEMENT IN TARANAKI. MAIN NORTH ROAD CLEARED. WEATHER STILL UNSETTLED. [BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. J NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday. Most of the serious consequences of the heavy rainfall in North Taranaki since Saturday .occurred at Wai.tara. Shortly before 12 o'clock last night the occupants of a house at the foot of Queen Street had to seek new quarters, as the river had so rapidly cut away its 'bank that the house was in danger of being carried away. A strip of land between 40ft. and 50ft. wide had been washed away since the early, part of the day, and most of it nightfall. The occupants of the house, Mr. and Mrs. ■ Goddard, Mr. arid Mrs. : Mora, and about six children, had an.unenviable experience in moving unexpectedly so late at night. Fortunately the house next door was vacant, and they were able to move into it. All their furniture and other possessions- had to be taken from their house, as it was feared it might be completely undermined and fall into the river before morning. Fortunately, after high tide last night, the rate of erosion lessened. This morning the house was still intact, and steps were immediately taken to remove it to a safe position.

When high tide came at about 11 a.m. the river was 2ft.' or 3ft. below the level it' reached during the night, when it was bank-high, and some people feared it might overflow down, Queen Street and into the centre of the town.

Tree tops were the, only ; things visible oh the .river, flat in the evening. There were acres of water. A road was completely hidden, and a Maori woman ■ marooned in a house in the vicinity had td be rescued in a boat.

•The rainfall in New Plymouth for, the 24 hours up to 9 a.m. was 1.76 in., making a i total of 3.43 m. for the two, days. ' iTo'-day was showery, with sunshine at .intervals, but the weather still appears unsettled. A. heavy thunderstorm accompanied by vivid lightning passed over in the evening.'" «• At Uruti .conditions improved overnight "instead of becoming more serious, as'was expected if rain continued. The weather ■ broke early in the evening, and although residents.remained up until after midnight the position became no worse, and to-day matters ftro beginning to approach normal. •Slips blocking 'the main north road on Mount Messenger were cleared to-day, and the road'was open for traffic. ■There were many exciting experiences •during 'the'rise, of- the Water yesterday. Ope driver who was going north found his, progress barred by the. flood, while in .the meantime his retreat had also been cut off Leaving his car marooned for the night on a high portion of the road, he regained safety "by making a detour round the hills. In one locality the road was covered to a depth of 6ft. All the houses in the township except two .as well as the post office, were flooded, and suffered in consequence, but it is stated that loss of stock is not •great, settlers having previously removed them into higher levels. Streams which drain' a large area of hill country, have now subsided considerably. c ON MAIN TRUNK. DELAY- OF TWO EXPRESSES. WASH-OUT AT MANGAWEKA. .. ; The limited expresses on the . Main ; Trunk line were delayed yesterday .as -the < result of. small slips between Frankton and Marton. , ; ; . A washout at Mangaweka delayed the express"from Auckland ' for .an hour and a-half at'Taihape.• Owing to -the line at Karioi being under water the limited from Wellington .was about',ls , minutes late in arriving "at Auckland.

HEAVY RAIN AT OPOTIKI. RIVER RISES AND FALLS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN . COREESFONDENT. ]t ■ ] -1 ;i i. . OPOTIKI, Tuesday. ; Heavy rains fell in the back country •on. Sunday and commenced here at five o'clock last evening, continuing for several*'Kdurs. The'?Waioeka •Eiyer'''-'Wa;s' higher this ■morning than at any time since Iho heavy. floo.dn lasT year,' ,The dver is now falling, again, i v V : ;trouble with bridge, TARANAKI TRAIN DELAYED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ' .. .v " tJ - ; HAWERA, Tuesday. The south-bound mail train was delayed here over an hour this morning, due to a bridge being out of alignment north of Patea. It proceeded with instructions, -to cross" slofrly. : y,-. '[ '}■ '■■■■