CAUGHT IN STREAMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22087, 17 April 1935, Page 14

CAUGHT IN STREAMS

PLIGHT OF SERVICE CAES FLOODS IN THE UREWERA WOMAN'S 18-MILES WALK Two large service cars were caught in flooded streams in the Urewera country over the week-end, extensive damage being done to one of the vehicles. A heavy 14-seater car, which left Rotorua for Waikaremoana on Saturday, stalled when attempting to negotiate the ford across the Orangihikoia Stream on the main Waikaremoana Road. The depth, which is usually only a foot or two at the'crossing, had increased by several feet as a result of last week's heavy rains, and the service car was washed a short distance by tho force of the flood waters and wedged in a rock crevasse Among the passengers was a woman who walked to Waikaremoana, about 18 miles away, while tho men passengers assisted tho driver to extricate tho car. On her arrival in Waikaremoana, the woman telephoned the headquarters of the Rotorua Bus Company, owners of the vchiclo, and arranged for a relief car to be sent, out. Brink of a Waterfall j Setting out from Rotorua on Sunday morning, tho relief car, another large 14-soater model, made a rapid journey as far as the Owharonga Stream, some miles beforo the Orangihikoia crossing. As in the case of the other stream, the depth at the ford was considerably over normal, and the service car stalled while traversing the ford. Here the rush of water was even greater than at the other stream and the big car was carried several yards downstream to the brink of a fifteen feet waterfall, whore it remained precariously- lodged among boulders. The driver, however, was able to secure a stout rope between the rear of the chassis and a tree on tho bank before the vehiclo was carried any closer to tho edge of tho falls. During the day a block and tackle were obtained, and with the help of a large party of Maoris,, the car was brought back to the road. Tho driver removed the cylinder head and carried out various repairs at tho roadside, eventually going on to the Oraugihikoia Stream, where the other car had been marooned. By this time, however, with the aid of numerous helpers, the second car had been pulled out on to tho road. In addition to mechanical damage sulfered as a result of the immersion, tho bodywork of the car was damaged extensively and considerable repairs will be necessary. Party of Nurses Held Up Numerous slips have been reported on the Waikaremoana Road and much delay is being caused to. traffic. Several motorists have expressed the opinion that small bridges should be erected over the fords where the service cart, were marooned. A party of Hawke's Bay nurses returning from a conference held in Auckland were held up by the floods. A number of deer-stalkers were isolated and as they were running short of food their predicament was an unenviable one. A Hamilton resident who wanted to motor to Waikaremoana could not get further with his car than Ruatahuna, and had to return When he left Ruatahuna on Monday evening the streams wore subsiding, although further south rain was still reported to be falling heavily. EAST COAST STORMS FURTHER OUTBURST OCCURS MAIN HIGHWAY UNDER WATER [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] GJSBORNE, Tuesday A further cloudburst occurred in the Whakaki-Tuhara area this morning, again flooding the main highway to a depth of several feet and delaying traffic for over an hour. Even after that timo, the running boards of cars were submerged. The total rainfall in the Wairoa district on the occasion of the late floods, as recorded at Te Putaputa by Mr. Mackay, was 11.61 in., but up-country falls were much heavier in places. Water found its way into mpst of the drapers' shops, causing some losses. Fortunately, there was very little stoppage of mail or passenger traffic. Hinckesman's suspension bridge across the Wairoa River, near Opouiti, was carried away, and settlers are isolated, except by boat. Two spans of the Tukemotiki Road Bridge have been carried away, thus further adding to the isolation of this area. The station manager, Mr. Conn, states that 15in. of rain fell there. There are a number of slips of varying size on the Ruakituri itoad. A large culvert at Mahurangi was washed away. The Rakaipake (Nuhaka) Bridge, which was under repairs, stood very well, though the flood rose higher than that of 1910, which carried away the structure then spanning this treacherous stream