WAIMATE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20932, 11 January 1938, Page 4

WAIMATE

CHICKENPOX IN HEALTH CAMP CHILD RETURNED TO TIMARU A case of chickenpox developed at the children’s health camp at the High School over the week-end. The Timaru authorities were immediately notified and a conveyance was sent to return the child to Timaru. After the recent case of scarlet fever the camp is in unofficial quarantine. Parents’ visiting day, which was to have taken place on Sunday, was cancelled and the local girl assistants have been withdrawn. WAITAKI IN FLOOD HIGHEST LEVEL FOR 20 YEARS As a result of heavy rain on Friday night and Saturday the Waitaki River was flowing bank to bank during the week-end and was reported to be higher than it has been since 1918. The river at the Waitaki Bridge was one broad expanse of turbulent water, only isolated tops of gorse bushes being visible here and there on islands between one bank and the other. The water was five to six feet below the skirting of the bridge, but the force of the current against the piles threw spray upwards wetting the boards on the bridge. “I have never before felt nervous when crossing the Waitaki Bridge,” said an Oamaru motorist yesterday, “but I was dubious when I felt the bridge trembling on Sunday.” A low section of the Station Peak road was flooded on Sunday and impassable to traffic. About a dozen cars were held up and several of the more venturesome had to be hauled back out of trouble by a truck which was on the scene. A driver of a heavy car made a determined effort to cross | after removing the fan belt from the I engine. The car came to a halt in water which came almost level with the front seat. The passenger sat on i the back of the front seat while the car was hauled back to dry ground.

As the river is swollen mostly by surface water, it is anticipated that the level will fall fairly rapidly.