TERROR AND COURAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1935, Page 9

TERROR AND COURAGE

TALES AT NEW PLYMOUTH ESCAPE FROM DROWNING Tales, of terror and courage, pathetic ta/es and humorous tales, were related at New Plymouth yesterday by nearly every man, woman and child. ; Perhaps the most alarming adventures were experienced by the group of citizens living in Aubrey and Weymouth btreets. There the houses lie in a hollow with dark bush at the back and' only a few dim lights in front. Yesterday morning the river rose stealthily and flooded their houses, tearing down fences ’and ruining the gardens. Three families evacuated and had not returned last night in spite of the subsidence of the flood. > A soft lapping;; sound awakened Mrs. l F. O’Brien, Aubrey Streep about 2 o’clock ' yesterday morning. < Disregarding .the sound as being merely the noise of the house dog licking .itself, ■ Mr§.'O’Brien took little notice. When it ■ continued she decided to investigate,, put hen. foot out of bed and found herself standing. in cold flood water, ' r, ; ' Rushing outside, Mrs. O’Brien saw the river, enormously distended, stretching from her house to the hillside across the gully. In the darkness she saw, too, an animal’s head. It was the dog, which ’, was swimming desperately round, trying to keep its head above water, but anchored down by its chain. Mrs. O’Brien was only just in time. The water now was rising rapidly and the O’Briens evacuated their house, sheltering with a neihgbour, Mr. W. T. Hook. At G o’clock in the morning Mr. O’Brien went out to drag in some wood that was floating off his property. Missing ’ his. step he fell -and sank in water over his head. He was unable, to swim but by a lucky chance he caught hold of ; Mr. 'Hook’s clothes line, and by means of it drew himself hand over hand to cafety. , While the O’Briens were moving to Mr. Hook’s home, Mr. M. McDonald,- 1 a neighbour in the same street, heard a loud screm. Rushing from his house he . was in time to allay the fears of a woman '..ho on opening her door to. investigate strange noises had been greeted by an . inrush of muddy water. Mr. McDonald, wading waist high in the flood, carried two women to higher levels and safety before he went back to his home. }