AUCKLAND FLOODS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22631, 24 July 1935, Page 10

AUCKLAND FLOODS

GENERAL TRAFFIC DISLOCATION WHANGAREI COMPLETELY ISOLATED (Per United Press Association) WHANGAREI, July 23. The continued heavy rain, amounting to over six inches in the past 48 hours, has accentuated the traffic dislocation between Whangarei and Auckland, road and rail communication being completely cut off. This position is likely to obtain for several days, the inundation, varying up to a depth of six feet, covering the track for a distance of five miles between Wayby and Hoteo, with a 300-yard slip at the latter place, causing an indefinite hold-up in railway connection; while slips in Dome Valley prevent mail highway travel. No serious trouble is reported from districts far north. The rainfall this month in the Wliangarei area is already two inches above the July average.

NOVEL EFFECT OF FLOODS

SUPREME COURT TRIAL DELAYED.

(Per United Press Association) • AUCKLAND, July 23

Auckland is completely cut off from the north by flood waters which have blocked botli road and vail. Trains attempting the journey have been forced to return to the terminal points. The road conditions, it is reported, arc improving* and detour routes may soon bo usable. One effect of the loss of communication was that the trial at the. Supreme Court of two men accused of sheepstealing could not proceed. Fourteen police witnesses 1 and a detective coming by train to Auckland yesterday bad to return to Whangarei, but the detective telephoned to Whangarei first and booked reservations On the steamer Claymore for Auckland. He and the witnesses got on board, but the two accused men arrived on the wharf to find the ship full, and they were unable to get a passage, even though they offpi'ed to do the stoking. To-day the accused were still in Whangarei while the witnesses waited in Auckland.

FARM LANDS SUFFER

THOUSANDS OF ACRES ; INUNDATED '

(Special to Daily Times)

AUCKLAND, July 23. From 9 a.m. on Sunday until 4 p.m. to-day over seven inches and a-half of rain has fallen in Whangarei, and of that total two inches fell in seven hours to-day. There was an exceptionally heavy downpour between 1.30 and 2.30 this afternoon, resulting in heavy flooding in certain areas in the town.

The area chiefly affected was Kensington, which is situated in the northern residential part of the town. In King street many houses were completely surrounded by water, although it did not enter them. Water was ’ over the road in two places to a depth of about a foot. Several sections between King street and Main’s avenue were completely flooded. It was not possible to approach some #of the houses without passing through 12 to 18 inches of water.

About 3.30 this afternoon a large slip came down 011 the north-west side of Parahaki Hill, Which is just beyond the north-east' portion of the town. Mr R. C. M. Harrington, an eye-witness, stated that it came down comparatively noiselessly, carrying with it trees and large boulders, which fell into the flood waters below. It is thought that the main pathway leading from Mair Pool to the Summit has been carried away. The slip is approximately 30 feet wide and 150 feet long. There was vex-y heavy Hooding on the Ruakaka Flats last night and this morning, but the water receded during the day. The position in Hukerenui, Whakapara and the surrounding districts is again very, serious for the farmers, the flood waters -rising very rapidly during yesterday afternoon and last night at Whakapara. At mid-day to-day the water was two inches higher than in the big flood of last March, when so much damage was done to farm lands by debris and silt deposits. A prominent farmer in the affected area said that at a conservative estimate over 3000 acres of farm lands were flooded this morning, and that another 1000 acres would be affected this evening. It was most unfortunate that such flooding should take place at this time of the year, when dairy stock were coming in and feed was short. The stock were falling in condition very rapidly.