KAWHIA ISOLATED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22334, 4 February 1936, Page 13

KAWHIA ISOLATED

BRIDGES WRECKED CLOUDBURST ON PIRONGIA SLIPS BLOCK TRAFFIC [by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] TE AWAMUTU, Monday A cloudburst on Pirongia mountain yesterday caused widespread damage. On tho main road to Kawhia two bridges were swept away, one at Puketotara and tho other six miles away at Ngutunui. Whero the road crosses tho mountain several slips occurred. One. near To Rauamoa, is so large that traffic will be blocked for at least three days. It is impossible yet to ascertain the full extent of the damage, as tho main road for about 20 miles is completely cut oft'. In many places the streams have cut new courses. It is certain that communication with Kawhia will be cut off for a few days. In the Roto-o-rangi district a bridge approach was washed away, cutting off tho cream supply from many farms. TORRENTS IN THE HILLS SOIL STRIPPED FROM PADDOCK [BY' TELKGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT] TE AWAMUTU, Monday A graphic description of the flood damage in the hills behind Ngutunui was given to-day by a settler. "Wo were in the locality soon after daylight," he said, "and the water was pouring down every gully in torrents, carrying with it huge trees, rocks and piles of debris. "On Mr. E. Beet's farm, where about ten acres were ploughed for turnips, all the surface soil right down to the rock was completely stripped off and carried away. "Trees are now to be seen lying along the banks of streams for miles, and it will take a long time for them to be cleared.

"We got about 40 trout that had been killed in the streams by the timber and large boulders borno along in the torrent."

Cream lorries serving some of the districts are isolated until roads and bridges are repaired. Power supply interruptions caused many farmers to hand-milk their herds on Sunday, but late in the evening power was restored to most localities, and machine milking was. possible this morning. Farmers on the slopes of Pirongia normally have their cream collected by carriers for transport to Te Awamutu factories, but the damage to bridges and roads resulted in no supplies from these farms reaching Te Awamutu yesterday. Reports to-day show that the floods are steadily receding.

REPORT PROM CAMBRIDGE TWO BRIDGES WASHED AWAY [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] CAMBRIDGE, Monday While the storm lasted 4.45 in. of rain were recorded at the Cambridge meteorological station. In several parts of the district the electric-power supply failed, and farmers had to milk by hand. Slips on the roads delayed traffic, while, at Roto-o-rangi, the washing away of two small bridges prevented farmers from sending their cream to the factory. TE KUITI ESCAPES LIGHTLY FLOODS DELAY MOTOR-CARS [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] TE KUITI, Monday Comparatively little damage was done in this district, though the storm was the most severe for a long time. The Waitomo Power Board's lines came down in several places, but the staff worked from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the power was in most instances restored by last evening. • The telephone line between Waihima and Mokauiti was broken. Many cars were blocked on the Aria road by flood water, including that of the Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. Langstone, who could not visit the Ngatamahine small farm scheme until to-day. DAM PARTLY BROKEN DOWN OTOROHANGA WATER SUPPLY [by TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENT] OTOROHANGA, Monday The dam which supplies water to Otorohanga township was damaged by the storm. Some six feet of the dam was broken down and 30 feet of piping between the dam and the break-pressure tank was washed away. Water i« thus cut off until repairs are made.