THE WEATHER.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 16072, 5 April 1924, Page 5

THE WEATHER.

UNPRECEDENTED DESTRUCTION WAITEMATA A HEAVY SUFFERER, (Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 5. The weather throughout yesterday •was fine. Reports from the country districts indicate that the torrential rainfall has been fairly general. Communication with Whangarei has been cut off, both by the railway and by telegraph. Throughout the North Auckland district the telegraph service has been interrupted. The bridge four miles south of Warkworth has been washed away, find several bridges have been washed away, and many slips have occurred on the main road south of : Waipu. Reports from Waipu state that the district is badly flooded. Gangs are woi'king night and day removing slips from the railways throughout the flooded areas in the province Thousands of pounds worth of damage to the careful work of years have been caused in the Waifemata County through flood and slips.

Judging from the vast number of messages, postal, telephonic and telegraphic, which have inundated the County Council offices from all quarters of the County, the damage is unprecedented in the County’s history. It- is certain that the auauthorities will have their hands full for many months to come in repairing the damage inflicted on the countryside in a single day.

SLIPS IN TARANAKI. MAIL VAN DERAILED. (Press Association.) ■ NEW PLYMOUTH, April 5. Heavy rain in South Taranaki has ,-caused slips on the railway between .Hawera and Patea. The mail train from Wellington was stuck up by a large fall, a portion of which partly derailed the mail van. Another slip in the rear has imprisoned tjhe train.

Rain was falling heavily all the time, and the passngers’ plight was unpleasant while waiting for a relief train from Hawera. Slips on the main road which runs along near the railway, prevented motor-cars getting through to succour the marooned train passengers.

DARGAVILLE CUT OFF. A FARMER DROWNED. (Press Association.) DARGAVILLE, April 5. Dargaville has been out of touch with the outside world for two days, and telegraphic communication Avas only restored late last night. The heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday caused heavy floods iu many parts of the district, and the flood water and slips are rendering the road to Whangarei impassable. The flood is the highest since 1917. There is no record of the loss of stock, but the damage to the roads and fences is considerable. A farmer named John G. Kerr, a married man, Avas droAvned between Tokatoka and Rehia on Thursday night Avhile attempting to cross a flooded creek.

TROTS POSTPONED. (Press Association.! AUCKLAND, April 5. The trotting has been postponed •-to. Wednesday and Saturday of next week, owing to the rain.

Throughout the recent bail weather and even to-day, when it is raining heavily, the barometer stays steady at fair. The readings for the week have been 30.14, 30.02, 30.12, 30.15, 30.12, and to-day at noon it reads 30.20, a rise of several points.