STORM IN THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 12

STORM IN THE NORTH.

DAMAGE CAUSE!) BY GALE.

FLOODS IN MANY AREAS. HEAVY SEAS ON COAST. LAUNCH PARTIES* ORDEALS. [BIT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WHANGAREI, Tuesday. The North Auckland district, has been swept by a fierce storm during the past two days. Heavy rain throughout yesterday and last night was accompanied by a howling south-easterly gale, which swept away a number o! unstable buildings, tore trees up by the roots and whipped the waters of the harbour into foam. The rainfall for the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. to-day in Whangarei was 2.17 in., making a total of 6.86 in. for Hie month to date. At Ruatangata the fall was 1.76 in. and Mr. A. R. Crane reports 2.78 in. at Kamo. In the town little damage lias been done. The flats near Provan's factory and the Whangarei Electric Laundry are under a foot of water and 1& acres between Morningside Road and the railway have been flooded. The electric-power service, after a day of trouble yesterday, was satisfactory last night, until 11.30 o'clock, when the power was off for half an hour. Exceptionally High Tide. It was in the harbour that Whangarei felt the storm most. The spring tide yesterday, backed up by the gale, was the highest seen at the town wharf for many years. The rive.* at one time stretched from in front of the riverside store on the far bank to the Harbour Board buildings. The Claymore did not discharge cargo yesterday and delayed her sailing until to-day. Residents at Whananaki and Tutukaka say the storm was the worst on the coast since the Wiltshire was wrecked about seven years ago. Flakes of froth as big as a man's hand were blown half a mile inland off the sea and the beaches everywhere are littered. At Tutukaka the sea formed a new barrier at the foot of Mr. Ferguson's farm. The steamer Awaho, which was coaling at Onerahi, had to go up the river for shelter. A Scow High and Dry. At Kioreroa, where a scow is high and dry on a sandbank, the force of the wind and waves was so terrific tht it blew the Harbour Board's heavy derrick a mile from where it was moored. The small landing jetty at Onerahi was smashed to atoms. Much anxiety was caused by the disappearance of two launches down the river. The parties on board were Messrs. N. P. Jack, R. Nelson, Arthur Jack and Pilbrow, who left the Whangarei Wharf on Saturday afternoon on a duck-shooting expedition to Whangarei Heads, expecting to return at noon on Sunday,' The violence of the seas and the strong head winds prevented them from carrying out their plans and they dropped anchor off Takahiwai. During the night the gale increased, the anchors dragged and the two launches were buffeted through the mudflats, finally being washed up on a mangrove island, .where the occupants spent a most uncomfortable night. Search Party Turns Back.

In the meanwhile their relatives and friends had become very anxious regarding their safety and at nine o'clock yesterday morning Messrs. W. M. Fraser, A. D. Jack and S. Weston set out in the Harbour Board's launch Rumi. However, after passing Onerahi the seas were so heavy that it was impossible to see a chain ahead. Mr. Fraser describes the seas as the highest he has ever seen in the harbour.

The men on the Ivumi decided that, even if the missing launches were found, it would be impossible to get alongside, so a course was set up the Mangapai Channel into Totara Creek, where the party left the launch and proceeded through high gorse and over rough country to Mr. J. D. McKenzie's home, where they found the missing men enjoying muchneeded rest after a thrilling struggle with the waves. In a small dinghy they had rowed half a mile to the shore. The launches remain high above tide level and great difficulty is anticipated in floating them again. Damage to Traffic Routes.

Wherever the road fringes the harbour the flood-tide has left in its wake destruction to the embankment and deposited debris and timber on the road. Numerous washouts have occurred. In the vicinity of Solomon's Point the surface of the road has sunk to a depth of two or three feet.

Approaches to bridges have also been affected, particularly the concrete structure on Pohe's Flat. The water there has caused considerable damage. The damage to roads in the Manaia Riding will probably amount to over £IOOO. The Tangowahine Flat is flooded and the service car from Dargaville traversed the Houto route this morning. A service car from Kaikohe was held up owing to floods. The roof was torn off the shelter shed of the Parua Bay Xo. 1 School and deposited in a dip on the other side of the road near Mr. Squire's property. A motorist had a narrow escape on a byroad near the Maunu School, when he pulled up within a foot of a pine tree which had fallen across the road. The wind dropped considerably to-day and the rain abated. THE GALE AT SEA. CONDITIONS STILL ROUGH. STEAMERS RUNNING LATE. Boisterous weather continued in Auckland late on Monday night and early yesterday morning, when the wind blew with gale force from the south-east, accompanied by frequent heavy rain squalls. The wind moderated about eight o'clock yesterday morning and changed to the south. Very little rain fell during the day, but there was a recurrence of wet weather in the evening. Conditions are still stormy at sea and shipping is delayed. The Tofua reached Auckland at mid-day yesterday after having been dolayed for 24 hours by a severe cyclonic storm on her voyage from Fiji. The trip of the Huddart-Parker steamer Ulimaroa, which is duo at Auckland from Sydney at six o'clock this morning, was also prolonged nearly 24 hours by severe storms. The Kaitangata left Westport on Saturday morning and was expected at Auckland this morning, but according to her wireless ddvice she is being delayed by heavy weather and will not arrive uutil midnight to-night. The conditions arc still threatening according to the barometer, which has been falling since Sunday. The reading last night was 29.30 in. The gale did considerable damage to gardens in the city and suburbs. Branches of trees and shrubs were broken and plants not protected were flattened. In exposed places a number of fences wero damaged.