HEAVY BAINS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11772, 7 March 1924, Page 7

HEAVY BAINS

CITY STREETS FLOODED WILLIS STREET AND LAMBTON QUAY LIKE CANALS. COUNTRY DISTRICTS BENEFIT. Wellington’s waterways and gutters had entered .upon an advanced stage of sleeping sickness during the past few weeks, so that when a sudden demand was made yesterday on their carrying powers they were not equal to the occasion. The deluge which descended over the city all yesterdfiy morning, and to a lesser extent during the afternoon, was the heaviest experienced for” 6ome considerable time, and the city drains, which bad of late become clogged with dirt and dust, declined acceptance of a greater part of the rain water. MANY STREETS FLOODED. The result was an experience recently undergone by Auckland. The town was in some parts under six or seven inches of water, and miniature rapids raced down the main thoroughfares. In parts of Lambton quay the water stretched right across the road, and dripping workers were up to their knees in a regular flood-tide, ip an endeavour to clean out clogged culverts. Willis street presented the appear - a nee of a Venetian canal, with the absence of bridges, which caused no little amount of inconvenience. In the Quay, people were forced to barricade their doorways in order to 6top the rising water from entering the shops. Upper Willis street gave forth freely of muddy water, and at the junction with- Manners street formed a regular divergence for a stream down Willis street and one down Manners street, which travelled at about eight to ten miles an hour at least. The Basin Reserve was thoroughly saturated, and huge sheets of water lay all over it. Blocks in several of the streets were raised by the water, and motor-cars ploughed their way through as if fordm g a river. HEAVY RAIN IN COUNTRY, meteorological office reported a rainfall of 0.18 inches at 9 a.m. yesterday, which was before the heavy showers commenced. Heavy rain is reported all over the country, and at this morning’s reading a big fall for ■ urs The Public Works at Paekakariki report a clear road through, there bemg- no slips on the thoroughfares. Ram fell heavily all the morning, but cleared a little during the afternoon.

HEAVY DOWNPOUR

CONDITIONS AT ELTHAM. Pc - Press Association. ELTHAM, March 6. Ilia fins weather conditions obtain--ag since Christmas were broken to-day ■T * heavy downpour of warm though £“3?® TalD - ...Settle™ will be much •WOted, as the country is parched OTCf a wide area.