HEAVY RAINS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1924, Page 1

HEAVY RAINS.

MASTERTON December IR. Following thirty-six hours of incessant min, tiic low lying portions of the town nrc Hooded, mid tlio shops on the lower side of the main streets are swamped with a foot of water. Late this evening there is no sign of it subsiding. The district was visited with a severe thunderstorm and electrical activity, which added to the inconvenience by disjointing the electric service, the town being thrown into complete darkness. Though the rain is not alv nonnallv heavy, it has not ceased for a moment in the last «W> hours. hour inches have fallen since f) a.lll. The rain has continued throughout the night. At midnight it is lulling heavier than at any period during the day. Five inches have been recorded since D a.in. Slips are reported on several arterial roads. The Kimutaka Hill Road is washed out for one hundred yards near I'eatherstou side. II is believed it will lie elosed for a week. Considerable traflie over from "Wellington had to return on this account. Korarnu stream, where A\ airarapa power is derived, rose to an enormous height, and ‘washed out the hank at the side of the power house, and was the cause of the iaihire oi the li^rht, due to the machinery being submerged hv four feet of water. It is under stood that it will not he in action again for two days. WANGANUI, December 18.

A phenomenal downpour about . six o’clock ibis evening caused considerable damage to a number of business places, which were deluged, greatly to the detriment of the Xmas stocks. In one leading drapery establishment, the damage is estimated at sonic hundreds. The sowers woro unable to cope with the storm water, with the result that the streets resembled lakes. SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS. AUCKLAND. Dec. IS. No work was done to-dav at the Isi tipi ri. Pukomiro. Waipa and (.lenarvon cn.il mini's, for the reason that no trucks were available to remove the ,-oal in some ol tile mines. . Yesterday the men were idle part ol the time for a similar reason. It is a serious inutti'i* lor tlu* incn to lose time just before the XmasXew Year vacation, as they nave not bail too good a time of late. At the present time, the .shortage of trucks is particularly unfortunate, as the Gas Company and the Rower Board are wanting slack. As a matter of I act. deliveries of that grade ol coal are about 101)1) toils behind. Supplies are also wanted for various industries. A deputation from the Coal Miners Association waited upon the local Trnflic Manager this morning, and was informed that, owing to greatly increased traffic on the railways, there was a shortage of trucks at the present time. . . .