THE OPEN AIR LIFE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 106, 5 January 1940, Page 5

THE OPEN AIR LIFE

UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE LOCAL RESIDENTS IN FLOODED CAMP When Mr and Mrs S. S. Shapley and family, together with Mr and Mrs Arthur Hall, paid His in advance for a camping site at the Scots College grounds, Wellington, they had no idea that tour inches of rain would fall that night and Hood their tents. Arriving at Wellington on Boxing Day, December 2(5, the parties wen. informed that ihe only available camping space was in the college grounds. Proceeding there they found that the charge was Is per night and parted with His for an anticipated stay of four night:-:. Everything went swimmingly until 1 a.m. on the 27th and then things continued to go in the same manner. Paradoxically this was not appreciated by the campers. The rain fell in the proverbial bucketsful and the water confirmed all science masters' opinions about it and found its Lowest level. r lhis was the spot on which the Whakatane people had pitched their tents. The tide rose at the rate of one inch per minute and twenty inches of water can wet many things. The campers were wet below and when they went outside in an effort to shift quarters they were soaked above because the rain was still falling. Nor was it a tropic downpour. It was cold. Experiencing all the joys of artillery men in France, Messrs Shapley and Hall finally succeeded in dragging their vehicles free and they cut their losses on the Hi's.