Rainfall at Waipukurau

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 189, 19 August 1935, Page 5

Rainfall at Waipukurau

The rainfall in Waipukurau for the 24 hours ended 9 this morning was 25 points. In the Cause of Humanity An indication of the arduous work done by searchers for Mr Hamish Armstrong is given in a letter received in Auckland from the manager of a large sheep station in the foothills of the Kuahincs. He remarks that last month was one of the wettest ever ex- 1 periienced in Hawke's Bay, the total fall being 13.18 in. He suddenly received an urgent message asking him to get stores in, in preparation for a search party. The stores were sent i from Hastings, and on returning with I them he found men turning up from I all over the province. There were 12 the first night, and 19 afterwards, and some had to sleep on the floor. The first day was too foggy for searching, but on the second they covered all likely country, and scanned the landscape from every vantage point. The party included two wireless experts, who kept the party in touch with headquarters and arranged signals with the aeroplanes. When extra stores were required, a message was sent by wireless, and the stores were dropped by a ’plane. One one day there were 12 ’planes over the district. The ground party continued the search for a week and then disbanded. The writer relates that the task of cooking for 10 extra men, searching all day and 'making trips in a lorry over a greasy road at night, left him exhausted at the end of the week. “But they were all good chaps, and great fun, so I enjoyed their company.” It has been remarked before, when similar searches have been necessary, that New Zealanders are seen at their best in such circumstances. %