CAMPERS’ DISCOMFORT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 256, 28 October 1937, Page 5

CAMPERS’ DISCOMFORT

WATER INVADES TENTS. PEOPLE RETREAT TO CARS. As a result of torrential rain, which continued for several hours on Sunday night and early on Monday morning, unenviable conditions were experienced by some of the holidaymakers who were camping in the Rotorua municipal parking ground. On Sunday evening approximately 120 cars were parked ih the enclosure, a record for a Labour Day week-end. Although it rained fairly heavily all Saturday and Sunday, little trouble was experienced until late last evening, when the rain increased to a downpour and water streaming down the hilly portions »of the camping ground entered several tents. With their bedding well saturated the occupiers were forced to retreat to

their cars, where they spent the remaining few hours until daylight, snatching what little sleep was possible in their cramped positions. When daylight broke it was seen that little improvement in the weather could be expected and the camp was early astir hasty preparations, being made to have breakfast and start homeward. A general exodus commenced shortly after eight o’clock, and before 11 a.m. only about a dozen cars remained parked in the enclosure. There was also a heavy exodus from hotels and boarding houses after breakfast, and traffic on all the main routes was heavy all the morning. Shortly after mid-day the weather cleared for about two hours, when the

sun shone out fitfully, but it was then too late for the few who were still in town to undertake any long sight-see-ing trips. In spite of their misfortune, the 600 odd passengers who left for Auckland by the afternoon train were very cheerful.