THE FLOODS IN THE NORTH.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16796, 30 March 1920, Page 6

THE FLOODS IN THE NORTH.

THE TRAGEDY OF THE MATHEWS FAMILY. SETTLERS TAKE REFUGE IN TEEES. (press association telegram.) AUCKLAND, March 29 Mathews, his wife and five children were living in a temporary .cottage close to the river, at the railway settlement in. the Upper Pnparoa Valley, some four miles from Paparoa. They were awakened at 4 a.m. by the water, which icached their beds. Mathews swam ashore with the baby, nnd returning, placed the others on the dwelling. The flood carried the cottage away, and all were thrown into the swirling water. The father was able to child, but by this time the wife and the other children had disappeared, their bodies being recovered later. Mr Pearce, a resident of the settlement, was seen at daylight swimming towards the railway bank, but he disapneared, his body being recovered later. One man saved himself by climbing a tree, and was rescued after six hours. Another saved his life by clinging to a floating hut until he could jump on to a friendly embankment.

A woman was rescued from a tree to which she had clung, in her night- attire, holding an infant. Several others had taken refuge in trees, and were fortunate to como through the ordeal alive. One of these, Mrs Cook, is suffering considerably from shock.

It is reported from Waipu G-nrgo that a motor-car dashed into the gap left by the partly demolished bridge, the ear being wrecked.

The full extent of the loss of life is unknown.

Tho chief sufferers bv the flood at Paparoa are: Messrs Graff (baker), (boarding-house keeper), Wf.'kins (Telephone Exchange operator), ■vi r (lime works manager), (he first.three were surprised bv the rnnidly rising waters. TJetween 5 and 0 n.m. a telephone message was sent to neighbours for nelp, but tho latter were unnble to ron<ler assistance, as they were isolated bv the heavy flood waters.

At Sutherland's boarding-house the women sought refuge in an attic. Tho water rose to about three fe-t above the floors, and then commenced to subside after seriously damaging the house and furniture, and carrying away tho outbuildings. Jordan, a blacksmith, had a narrow escape. Ho sleeps in an office' nttaehcil to ins shop, and tiTrok© to find wntor rising m the room. Ho donned his clothes and swam to tho boardinghouse. .

Considerable damage has been dono to constructional work, scvernl bruises on the road from Maungaturoto bein" swept away.

T/fitcr. Full details are not vet .ivnilablo regarding tho North Auckland floods, and it is still impossible, to estimate tho damage.

Tho ' Herald's" Pnpnro.i correspondent, telegraphing to-night, snvs that widespread damage has been <iono to tho Otamatea County roads and bridges. Heavy loss hns been suffered by farmers, who have had their fences carried away by slips and their stock killed.

At Waipu Gorgo nil the original wooden bridges, numbering twenty or twenty-five, were carried awny, only a Innrc concrete bridge remaining. Conflicting accounts linve come to band regarding t,ho motor accident in the gorge. It is now stated that tho party were overtaken by tho flood and moored the car to a tree, and woro rescued from the top of tho car^ "Vehicular traffic cannot get through to the ba~k districts, and this renders tho carting of food supplies to isolated settlers at present imposs : ble. Government aid is urgently necessary, as the _ local bodies' resources cannot corie with the expenditure required to renair the damage, the cost of which will run into thousands of pounds.

WHANGAEEI'S EXPERIENCE

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WHANGAREI, March 29. A torrential storm burst over Whangarei on Friday night, and by midnight water had reached the height of the houses in the low-lying parts of the town, and there was serious danger of inundation. The storm was renewed! with great fury on Saturday morning, and the rivers in all parts or the country rose to an exceptional height. A number of bridges were washed away and serious losses of stock occurred.

It is reported that five men lost their lives at Maungaturoto, but this is not yet confirmed. The general damage will run into many thousands of pounds. The electric power works at Wairua Falls are also flooded. Concrete walls wore keeping the water out, but the river roso so high that it wns feared that the pressure would cause them to collapse, sr> that the water was allowed in, and tho town was plunged into darkness on Saturday night. Light has now been restored.

The train services with the north were also interrupted on Saturday, ant} shipping was held up. The Manaia, with Sir James Allen on board, could not leave the harbour, but it is stood that she left shelter at the heads at 6 a.m.

Later. As a of the recent heavy storms, the Northern Coal Company's mines at Kiripnka have been flooded and.the main exits blocked by slips. It is estimated that some weeks must elapse before the mine can be re-opened. Tho tramway and bridge were also carried away. TORRENTIAL RAIN IN POVERTY BAT. (PRESS ASSOCIATION* TELEGRAM.) GTSBORNE, March 29. Phenomenally heavy rains are reported from the Waiapu district. At Pnketiti, Waipiro, 17 inches of rain, have been recorded, and at Tokomaru Hay 14 inchcs. At Ahikourka between 5 p.m. on Friday an<J 9 a.m. on Saturday nine inches fell. The rivers are in heavy flood. A lr>ter ■mcs'ice from Ri/ntoren. Waiapu County, states that 181 inchcs of have fallen in three days lip to 9 o'clock this morning, the" heaviest downfall since February, 1917. There are enormous floods in tho rivers. The rainfall at Gisborne has been two inches in three days.