WAIKATO FLOODS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17165, 15 October 1926, Page 7

WAIKATO FLOODS

RIVER STILL RISING FARMERS’ HEAVY LOSSES (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. Expectations -that the flood would reach its peak yesterday have not been realised, writes the Herald’s correspondent at Mercer. The river continues to rise, between three and four inches in 24 hours, and this morning the inundation should have surpassed that of last winter, which was the highest for many years. There was practically no motor traffic through yesterday. Complete inundation has taken place ou the road past the timber mill. Many residences in this locality have been vacated, and in the lower levels water is flowing freely through the houses. The extensive encroachment of water on the railway station has led to shunting operations being abandoned here until the flood subsides. Naturally the present flood is fraught with more serious consequences to farmers in the Lower Waikato basin than a similar visitation would cause during the winter months. Somo farmers have already been forced to turn their cattle into pasture previously shut, up,for hay, and others are faced with a possibility of having to do likewise. It is feared that when the flood subsides the grass will he scorched by the heed of the sun. and that these pastures will uot be available for some time to come. Such an eventuality will spell considerable ultimate loss.