Kiddies Row Boats On Main Auckland Highway

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1948, Page 5

Kiddies Row Boats On Main Auckland Highway

AU'CELAND,, Dec. 19. About one millioh gallons of water swept in a torrent down the Q-reat North Road at New Lyhn late on Saturday afterno'On when a joint in one of the trunk water mains leading to the city blew out. For four hours a isection of the ro^d was under water and special arrangements had to be made to direct the fairly heaty flow of traffie thrdugh the area. The blowout occntred without warning. No telltale seepage- to indicate the leak wa-s evident before a fierce jet of water, tar-sealing and rubble shot about 40 feet into the air. It rose as high as the nearby shops, scattering stopes fpv a r'idius j of many yards, and quickly flooding the street. Within a few ipinutes the Main Nortfi Road was transformed into a swirling river about two feet deep with a stEong current racing down the slop'e. A large crowd was cpiickly attract-" etd and fairly heavy traffie was using the road at the time. Officers of the New Lynh Borough Cpunch and residents direicted the'traftc past the affected arOa. For scores of children in the dis-, trict the fiobd was a welcome Saturday afternoon diversion. Small rowing- boats appeared abnost by magic and many children enjoyed tfie tm•usual experience of rowing along the husy highway. Tbe window of a shop - was briken by iying riibhlb, but iio other damage td propbrty was rOr • ported. Tfib surfaei Sf ftie Ukd damaged for a considerabie distance.