PROVINCE SWEPT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22192, 20 August 1935, Page 10

PROVINCE SWEPT

TOBBENTIAL RAINS HEAVY FALLS OF HAIL THUNDER AWAKENS SLEEPERS MORTALITY AMONG LAMBS [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Monday There was a continuation of stormy weather conditions in tho 'Waikato t(£ day. The succession of heavy showers brought tho rainfall for the week-end up to 0.9-ii.n., covering a period of -18 hours ended 9 a.m. to-day. There was a violent thunderstorm at four o'clock this morning. Rain, accompanied by hail, fell in torrents for a quarter of an hour. Sleepers were awakened by tho lightning and thunder, houses shaking noticeably. When residents went abroad this morning the}' found hail heaped to a height of two feet alongside their homes and fences. High westerly winds, heavy rain and hail showers, interspersed with brief periods of sunshine, marked the weather conditions throughout tho day. Tho Waikato River was affected by the storm, and was runniijg at 3ft. 6in. above normal winter level to-day. All low-lying levels were inundated throughout tho week-end, and the pastures on the farms were sodden. The storm has been the most severe that has been experienced in the Waikato for some years. Similar conditions have been experienced in the Cambridge district. Young lambs there have been especially affected and many deaths have resulted. The low-lving paddocks on many farms in the district are under water. Reports! from Bay of Plenty districts indicate that the weather was less severe to-day. Conditions have been yery difficult for stock and the production of dairy herds has been seriously affected all over the district. LATJH'OH BADLY DAMAGED CRAFT HOLED BY STUMP [from: our own correspondent] PUKEKOHE, Mondny Boisterous weather continued to-day,» but the showers were less frequent than yesterday. About 5 o'clock this evening heavy hailstones fell for about a minute. During the height of the squall a 26ft. launch, owned by Mr. T. Keven, jun., of Pukekohe, which had been hauled np on the beach above Waiau Pa wharf, at the mouth of the Waiuku estuary, in the Manukau Harbour, was washed away. It struck a largo pine stump above ordinary high-water mark with such force that the stump was driven through the planking and eventually had to be sawn off to free the boat," leaving a gaping hole. Before the launch could be salvaged the waves had demolished the built-up cabin top, tho total damage to the craft being estimated at approximately £SO. HIGH LEVEL OF LAKE TATJPO WAIT.tLHANUI RIVER EROSION [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] TATJPO, Monday Very boisterous and unsettled weather prevailed in the Taupo district over the week-end and heavy showers fell at frequent intervals. , The lake level is the highest since 1927 and this fact, together with the prevailing strong south-west wind, has caused erosion of the banks of the Waitahanui River and approximately 500 yards of lupin-covered land has been washed away. The whole mouth of the river has altered and low-lying land in the vicinity is inundated. No serious (damage has been caused to roads, and there is no interruption to traffic.