HEAVY LOSSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23101, 28 July 1938, Page 14

HEAVY LOSSES

AREAS IN THE NORTH drowning of stock 4000 TOMATO PLANTS LARGE HAYSTACK VANISHES Considerable damage by the storm on Tuesday night was reported yesterday by settlers at Albany and AVaiwera. At Albany three valuable cows and a bull were swept away and have not boon soon si nee, paddocks are covered with silt, and one resident lost 4000 tomato plants. Mr. C. 11. Colton, who has lived for 67 years in the district, said it was tlic; worst storm lie had experienced. At Waiuera the water scoured out the foreshore and left a Rap of lift, between the wharf and the mainland. When the storm was at its height at about eight o'clock on Tuesday evening, there were Oft. of water in a deep hollow of the main road about 300 yards north of Albany, and several ears were held up lor some considerable time. Lueas Creek, at the back of the Albany Hotel, was choked with debris. It quickly overflowed, and so powerful was the onrush of water while the flood was at its height that a 75ft. pine tree was uprooted and swept out of sight. Destruction o! Fencing Mr. N. 11. Norton, the licensee of the hotel, saw a large stack of hay in out! of Jiis paddocks disappear in the water, and when he went yesterday morning to survey the damage, he discovered that one and a-half miles of fencing had completely disappeared. An additional loss was the stock mentioned above, and lit! estimated that at one time on the night of tjie storm the paddock in which the animals had been grazing was covered with Uft. of water. Jiy the middle of yesterday morning practically all the water had dispersed. A bull and some pigs were lost by Mr. Jl. L. Piper, whose property adjoins the main highway north of the hotel. The loser of the tomato plants was Mr. G. 11. Watson, whose property abuts the main road also, but on the opposite side. He said that stormwater poured down the hillsides and scoured his land over an extensive area, covering the paddocks with .silt, breaking down the fences and covering those which withstood the onslaught of water with debris of all descriptions. Changes on Waterfront

The waterfront at Waiwera has been completely changed by the high seas which raged on Tuesday night, and along practically the whole line of the foreshore the bank has been eroded to an average width of lift. The reservoir which supplies the Hot Springs Hotel with fresh water was filled with flood water and rubbish from the new main road above, and when the proprietor, Mr. D. E. Connell, made an inspection yesterday morning he found a 3ft. deposit of silt at the bottom. The reservoir had to be emptied and cleaned.

WHANGAREI DISTRICT HIGHWAYS AGAIN OPEN LOG DAMAGES A CHURCH [I)Y TELEGRArH OWN CORRESPONDENT] WHANGAREI, Wednesday After over 2in. of rain, low-lying sections of roads in the north were impassable for motor traffic this morning, but to-day the weather has moderated so that this evening practically all tho routes are open.. The main route south was closed by flood waters last night, but the section in the middle north was clear to-day. The Mangakahia route north is closed by slips and floods, while the route north through Kawakawa, although closed for traffic for a period this morning, is now clear. On the eastern coastal region slips have blocked some roads and a small bridge has been washed away. In some exposed places large trees were uprooted by the gale. Traffic whs held up this morning on the main road route from Southern Hokianga. The iiood at Fairburn and Oruru, 011 the eastern side of the Mangonui County, was reported to be one of the highest, if not the highest, on record, but the water's have now subsided.

Flood waters rushing across tiie 90Mile Beach from 0110 of the crooks from the sand hills has cut a (loop channel in the sand ami that euro is required of motorists using the beach route north. At the Whangarei Heads, where the flooding was severe, a large log crashed into the vestibule of the church building. carrying away the annexe from the main building. TELEGRAPH WIRES DOWN MANGAKAHIA GORGE SLIP RIVERS IN NORTH FALLING [nv TKLKcii.vra —own oorhkspondknt] KAIKOIIK, Wednesday An electrical storm swept the district early on Tuesday afternoon and a large number of the telephones on the Kuikohe exchange were put out of order. The rainfall for the 'J-l hours to nine o'clock this morning was .'hoiin. Flooding occurred in all low-lying places, the road to Kawene being impassable. The mail car was unable to get through. A large slip had come down in the Mangakahia Gorge, completely blocking the Whangarei-Kai-kohe road. Telephone and telegraph connection was broken in several places. The rivers are now all falling, and all routes are expected to bo open by to-morrow. TRAFFIC INTERRUPTIONS ROUTES OUT OF DAROAYII.LK [nv TKLKGIIAFN —OWN COttUKSI'ONDI'NT] DAKGAYILLK, Wednosdaj The rainfall at Dargaville for the '..'l hours ended at eight o'clock this morning was 1.8-lin. With ;ift. of water over the road at Taylor's Flat, the main route 1 between Dargaville and Whangarei is impassable and tratlic has to make a detour via Ifoteo. The \\ aihue - Dargaville route has been blocked with flood waters anil trallie this uiorutug had to turn back to Dargaville.