STORM ON THE PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4930, 25 January 1926, Page 2

STORM ON THE PLAINS.

EFFECT IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS

MUCH MINOR DAMAGE. Tlie easterly gale experienced throughput the province on Friday last caused much minor damage, on the Plains. A peculiarity was the effects at different places. At Patetonga and on the hill country there was very heavy and continuous rain, causing high floods of short duration, while at other places there was more wind than rain.

Tire gauge ,at 'the Lamte' Office, Kerepeehi, only recorded .23 of an inch for the 24 hours ending at 8 a-m. on Saturday morning, yet so heavy was, the rain at Kaihere that the Ngarua road was inundated for a considerable distance and farms hitherto considered safe were covered. There was comparatively little wind at Ngajtea and Kerepeehi, but Waitakaruru and Turua experienced a hui ricane.

The lOrongo ferry took almost two hours to cross the river, drifting upstream to near Turua with several .cars aboard and almost grounding several times. The floating landing stage at the Turua wharf received a severe buffeting from, .the waves tha,t came across the river, and eventually the chains that held the pontoon between the fender piles parted, allowing the istage to drift towards the shore. However, the gangway held, and no very s,erious damage was done. A Harbour Board employee arrived by the service bus and moored the pontoon before it broke away. The strength of the wind can be gauged by the fact that the. side of the wharfshedi near the river was bent inward so that the sheets of corrugated iron opposite the rafters of the building were almost pushed off. A metal punt moored at the Turua landingplace behind the wharf was- sunk. Numerous trees were blqwn down, but except that one shed crushed littlfe damage was caused. Several telephone and power poles were blown out of position, but not right down, and though numerous contacts occurred a,ll services were quickfly restored. ” The shed covering the engine at the Turua hall was blown over, and at Mr J. H. Johnstone’s residence a washhouse chimney fell, Mr Eric Johnstone being hit on the head and shoulder with a falling brick. His injuries: were slight. At Wjaitakaruru the gale completed the demolition of the wharf-shed, which has been in a very dilapidated state for a> long time. On the eastern side of the Waihou River the rain must have been heavy, as the road was covered with water near Kirikiri and one motor-fiar failed to get across owing to the depth. It was towed out by another Plains car.