RIVERS OVERFLOW BANKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 664, 16 May 1929, Page 1

RIVERS OVERFLOW BANKS

Hawkes Bay Floods nightlong toil to save farms .Press Association XAPIER, Today. AFTER three days’ steady, and at times very heavy. rain, low-lying country near the rivers, from Waipukurau in the south to nearly Wairoa in the north, has been / inundated.

Three rivers broke their banks, the railway line is under deep water between Napier and Hastings, and numerous roads have been blocked. The towns of Hastings and Napier escaped, but the farming districts surrounding were hard hit, although no great loss of stock occurred, thanks to ample warning given. Mails to Napier were all delayed owing to the express from Wellington being unable to get through. Passengers were transferred to buses which made a detour, and they, as well as the mails, reached Napier late. Most danger was experienced at Meanee, a smail village right on the banks of the Tutaekuri River, not far from Napier. On Tuesday night ihe water had risen 12Jft above the normal, and residents worked through the night stopping gaps in the banks with sandbags and any other material handy. During the afternoon a blockage at the bridge leading to the village caused water to slop over and pour down the approaches to the road and on to the surrounding country. The river cleared itself here, however, and the approaches were dammed to prevent a recurrence.

Although the banks were raised lulhciently to save the overflow near the village, which would have meant disastrous flooding of the Taradale district and many small farms in the vicinity, the river made breaches in three other places. Yesterday afternoon it was 12ft 9in above normal. An exciting time was experienced by 50 passengers in 13 service cars, besides two trucks, which were held up all night at Tangoio Ford on the N'apier-Wairoa Road. The party was trapped, with an impassable stream ahead and a slip behind, and had to remain beside the ford all night without food until the morning, when it was got across by means of ropes suspended over the stream. SERVICE CARS MAROONED GISBORNE, Today. Through traffic between Gisborne and Napier has been blocked for the past two days. Fifty passengers by service cars were marooned at Waliari. 40 miles from Napier, where the small hotel accommodation was severely taxed. Sixteen cars were held up between Tangoio Stream and Waikare by slips The road between Wairoa and Waikarl is now reported clear. No mails have been received. The Taupo Road is also blocked at Titiokura since Tuesday. LITTLE GIRL RESCUED Carried along in the muddy waters cf the flooded AJangapapa Creek for a distance of 300 yards, a six-year-oid girl named Towers was rescued through the presence of mind of a small playmate in summoning help. Though unconscious when removed from the water efforts at resuscitation were successful. News from Waipawa district states al ' the more important roads and bridges are closed to all traffic. In one instance a concrete bridge has subsided. The Mayor is organising relief ■ rews iu case the danger should heroine worse, but indications are that the menace has reached its peak. Eskdale, 12 miles north of Napier, reports a rainfall of 92in. for three toys. At one poipt. between Napier and Hastings the railway track is two feet under water. One bridge has not been seen for two days, although trains are passing over it. MILES OF WATER danger not yet over express gets through Press Association NAPIER, Today. travelling at a reduced speed, the tpress train succeeded in getting -•rough the flood menace this rnorn--00 k* journey south. Damage to e railway is not extensive, as was ’ nrst believed, and only caution is Uow necessary. A d , etour many miles is neeesTh f , t 0 rroach Hastings from Napier, cuami» Ilßer is not yet over , as a large dovJ.v of water Las still to come the e j tWo rivers. The height of tie t,- waters is within two feet of The « c inundation of 1597. ridge w-aters extend from the or sir r if n<l on tbe seafront to five are uv- es back - and some settlers mg under threat of disaster. | suffers BRid GE washed away Press Association H CARTERTON, Today. ra * DS throughout the Waittvers caus ed high floods in the and Mat*. a * Kokotau, Dalefield, biit «o f» raWa k ave been surrounded, are re*coed hv ,~;® cu l tv has been experiths far mcrs in getting milk rereiu ° nes ' but the waters are The * n ® ra P idl L I* at dama se so far reported four DTw^ kU v ra ' where one of the bridges erected some 10 9?« E JLe Pahaoa. River,

collapsed. In consequence, traffic to Bush Gully and beyond is completely cut off. The only means of egress is by horseback. The weather is now clearing, and the rain is much lighter. All rivers have fallen. The flood in the Pahaoa River is the highest experienced for 20 years. TAUPO-NAPIER ROAD BLOCKED HEAVY SLIP AT TARAWERA The road from Taupo to Napier is blocked to all traffic by a heavy slip which occurred some time last night near Tarawera, a point about 45 miles from Taupo, and about 50 from Napier. The information was received by the Auckland Automobile Association by telegraph this morning. Save that the slip is a serious one, it is not known for how long the road will be blocked.

CYCLONE MOVES ON IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED Press Association WELLINGTON, Today. The Dominion meteorologist says that now the cyclone responsible for the bad weather is moving away to the south-east, there should be much improvement in the weather. There will be strong southerly winds today, with showery weather, out there should be some relief in areas which have suffered from the floods.

ALARM NEAR FOXTON MANAWATU VERY HIGH Press Association PALMERSTON N„ Today. There has been a rapid rise in the Manawatu River following heavy rains in Hawke's Bay. Settlers in the lower reaches, between here and Foxton, fear one of the worst floods for years. Stock is being hastily removed and in some areas preparations are being made to quit houses at a moment’s notice. FLOODS IN NORTH TRAINS HELD UP BY WATER WEDDING CEREMONY DELAYED (From Our Own Correspondent) DAKGAYILLE, To-day. Flood waters cover farm land in the Kaihu Valley from the ridge above the Maori settlement to Dargaville. There is an almost uninterrupted stretch of water to where the valley deviates at Roto to Mangatara, except for a few patches that have the protection of stopbanks. In places patches of bush showabove the devastating waters, and farm buildings on the low levels appear to be afloat. Trains were unable to run from Dargaville to Donnelly’s Crossing yesterday and today owing to the line being covered in places. A wedding at Aranga, which was to have taken place yesterday, is still delaved owing to the Rev. A. Fussell, of Dargaville, being unable to arrive at the up-line settlement. Slips on the Dargaville branch line at Hempazells yesterday stopped the Public Works ballast train from running. The Awakino stream also overflowed its banks, and the valley is widely covered with water. Tangiteroria is isolated this morning. and there is over five feet of water on Taylor’s Flat. The service car from Opononi reached Dargaville after a hazardous trip at 12.20 p.m., the flood waters washing round passengers’ feet at points between Mamaranui and the flaxmiil on the Waihue Road. A car which left at 1.30 to negotiate tho stretch before the flood was blocked by the rising tide, and the TY hangarei car arrived via Houto, as the route x ia Tangiteroria and Taylor s Flat was blocked.

CAR WASHED AWAY PASSENGER SERVICES DISORGANISED HEAVY' RAIN ON EAST COAST (From Our Own Correspondent), OPOTIKI, Today. As a result of the heavy rainfall in the Gisborne district yesterday, the car service between Gisborne ana Opotiki was completely disorganised, and it was impossible for cars to get through. Wash-outs have occurred on the newl>mado portion of the mam highway tween Matawai and Otoko. Yesterday one service car OTI stuck in one of the streams, and with a further rise of water the car was washed down-stream. This afternoon it could be seen with only tne top ot the hood showing. With the interruption of c-ar se vices, passengers are tr m' ! r ain conGisborne to Motuhora by tragic*®, necting cars e^peri enced though soaking rams flooding , as mos° P of the rain fell in the ranges on jiiti Fftyexty. Say side* ,— — 1 ■