MARRED BY RAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22616, 2 January 1937, Page 11

MARRED BY RAIN

ROTORUA FESTIVITIES CAMPERS' DISCOMFORTS DEPARTURE FOR HOMES [nv TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT] ROTORUA, Friday In pouring rain Uotorua experienced one of the wettest New Years in its history; but not by any means the least cheerful. The town was thronged by a very large crowd last night and, in spite of tho conditions, the great majority of the people were plainly determined to make tho best of things. Tho usual processions were postponed and were hold to-day in conditions which were very littlo better, but on New Year's Eve there was a great gathering in the town square, where, in spite of tho rain, the i>eoplo joined in community singing and other forms of revelry The municipal motor camp, usually otio of the gayest and most popular in tho Dominion, presented an almost pitiable air this morning after further torrential rain. During the last few days hardy campers, of whom there aro many hundreds, have been engaged in trying to mako their temporary homes habitable. Many people, after seeing the old year out and tho Now Year in, returned to the camp and found their tents flooded. Night-time Confusion Tho road leading into the camp, under the tall pine trees, became a quagmire. Car after car became stuck, but everybody gave a hand. There was little sleep for anybody, amid the din of roaring engines and spinning wheels. Thoso with tents near the roadways had them liberally coated with mud. Some campers, whose equipment was unequal to tho downpour, had already found refuge in a large unused ballroom near by. From daylight this morning many campers were busy packing their wet belongings and setting oil for home, disappointed that tho weather had been so unkind. Many of those who decided to stay found amusement in tho manoeuvres of the motor-cars as they slithered through the deep mud to the exit of the camp. The Kotorua Borough Council had men early oil the scene, and lorry-loads of pumice were carted to the grounds and tipped over the muddy portions. Cooking in the Wet The camp had no cooking conveniences, except open fireplaces, and it was pathetic to see men and women trying to coax fires out of saturated firewood. One man vainly tried for about two hours beforo he got the semblance of a blaze. Children, in spite of many reproofs, paddled joyfully in pools of muddy water. Perhaps the busiest men were two patrols of the Automobile Association, who were required to be general information bureaux on the subject of roads in all districts from Auckland to Wellington. They also had to doctor many cars, which simply refused to go after being left at the mercy of the elements for several days. Tho pair performed yeoman service and comforted many an anxious camper. The Auckland road carried a continuous stream of traffic and motorist* on the. journey throughout the day ran through some very heavy showers. The road conditions were very good, except for some patches of potholes on the Mamaku Hills. An Automobile Association patrol was stationed at ono particularly bad section on the Rotorua side of the hills, and was able to signal cars to proceed at a steady pace over the short strip of very bad surface. A grader worked during the day on a section between Cambridge and Tirau, and as a consequence the surface was in good order.