THE REGENT GALE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4586, 16 July 1923, Page 2

THE REGENT GALE.

AN EASTERLY BLOW. TELEGRAPH POLES DOWN. This district lias again been subjected io an easterly gale oi. unusual severity accompanied by heavy rain, on Friday and Saturday it was blowing with almost cyclonic force, but cased off considerably in the early hours of Sunday. The local rain was so heavy that by Saturday afternoon .ow-lying portions in the town area and some of the footpaths were impassable, pedestrians having to take to t.lie roads. It was thought by many that a flood was inevitable for Saturday, but the river had not risen to any great extent, although it had a decidedly freshened appearance. The rain on the hills has not been so great as that received locally. Advice has been received that telephone communication has been some what interrupted. It appears that a telegraph pole is down near Tarailki Creek, disconnecting the telephone service to Waihi* Tauranga, and Rptorua. Between Mangaiti and Te Arolia there are no less than four poles reported to be down. Communication with Thames seems to be all right, but it is believed tn at several poles have been moved bodily in their foundations. Communication with Auckland on the Pokeno circuit had not been restored at the time of going to press. The break in the line appears to be somewhere between Paeroa and Ngatea, PLAINS INUNDATED. CATTLE SUFFERING. Rain has fallen practically continuously on the Plains during the past fourteen weeks. It will be recalled that rain commenced on April 18, and that the phenomenal amount of 7 inches fell on the 21st, resulting in the April flood. The effect of this rain was to thoroughly saturate the land and to tax the outlets and the Piako River to their utmost capacity. The months of May and June followed, with fifty wet days, and- consequently the Plains have been kept in a continuous state of flood. Heavy rain around Morrinsville during the past fortnight caused the river to rise rapidly, and this level has been maintained. No tidal effect has been apparent alt Kerepeehi during the past week, and the height of the river has been several feet above normal high tide level. At Ngatea, instead of a difference of from six to eight feet, only about three feet of a fall has been recorded. As the normal height of the river is about the same as the land, and it is only the drag of. the outgoing tide that drains the land, the outlets have not functioned to their full capacity. Exceptionally steady rain on Saturday last brought the total to date for this month up to 4..4 inches. The result has been a flood rivalling that of April last. Pipiroa and Waitakaruru being near the sea, and having efficient outlets, did not suffer this time, but Kopuarahi is again inundated. For miles from the school corner towards Orongo paddocks are covered, to a depth of abouat two feet. Hay was fed to cows on the main road on Sunday. Farms down the Orchard East road were so badly flooded that cows have ' bad to be brought to a shod on the Ngatea road to be milked. 'One part of this road was covered with two feet of water for several chains on Sunday. . The Willow Tree drain and the Te Kauri drain have overflown their banks banks and a big area of adjacent country is inundated. The island opposite Kerepeehi and the block south of the island appear to be inundated. Reports from farther up the river are not yet available, but in all probability the country has suffered more than at the previous flood.