FLOODS IN SOUTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22211, 11 September 1935, Page 12

FLOODS IN SOUTH

MAIN ROADS BLOCKED NORTH CANTERBURY STORMB heavy rainfall at WAIAU [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday The flooding of creeks after two days' heavy rain has blocked the ronin road to Kaikoura and the inland route from Waiau to Kaikoura, while the road west from Christchurch has been made impassable by snow on Porter s Pass. Six inches of rain fell at Waiau in the 24 hours ended at 9 a.m. to-day. All rivers and creeks north of Waiau are in high flood, and several big slips are reported in the hills behind Waiau. The rainfall appears to have been heaviest from Waipara northward. In the Waipara area the fall has been the heaviest since 1923, and high lambing mortality is feared. As a precaution, stock has been moved to higher ground.• Service cars have been held up at Stoney Creek, on the road to Kaikoura, but the possibility of a complete hold-up has been overcome by the use of a dray as a transport over the creek. The Automobile Association (Canterbury) reported this morning that on the way to Hororata the Selwyn River and the Waireka Creek were in flood. The road to Coalgate through Darfield was flooded by the Hawkins River. A service car manager stated that the floods were covering the roads near Parnassus and Kaikoura, and, in addition to Stoney Creek, considerable anxiety was being caused by the Ferniehurst crossing, two miles north of Hawkeswood station.

STRONG GALE AT WELLINGTON WASH-OUT ON HIJTT LINE [BT TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION'] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Wellington experienced almost continuous rain to-day, with a constant southerly gale, which reached a maximum velocity of 62 miles an hour. There was a heavy rainfall throughout the province, but the roads remained in surprisingly good order. A 200-yard slip on the Paekakariki Hill soon had a track cut round it, and vehicles were also able to negotiate a section of the road half a mile south of Eketahuna, which slipped away. Wash-outs on the Hutt railway line between Ngahauranga and Petone put the inward line out of commission, and resulted in a slight delay to (suburban services. The storm has delayed the sailing of the Rangitane for Napier until tomorrow afternoon, and the departure of the Maui Pom are for Niue and Samoa was postponed til! the morning on account of the heavy sea running outside the heads. Several coastal vessels were also delayed.