HEAVY FLOOD DAMAGE IN HAWKES BAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2707, 13 March 1924, Page 2

HEAVY FLOOD DAMAGE IN HAWKES BAY.

BRIDGES AT SEVERAL PLACES DESTROYED. Hastings, March 12. Communications with Napier by rail were interrupted last night soon after the Wellington-Napier express got. through and the Napier Hastings section is still closed by the llood waters, which marooned the south-bound express in Napier. To maintain the service a train was built up with the available rolling stock at Hastings and despatched to Wellington at the time-table time. The department hope to resume trallie to Hastings and Napier this afternoon. DEVASTATION IN TAR AD ALE AREA. Napier, Last Night. Comparatively little rain has.fallen since day-break and the hood waters have rapidly subsided, though, of course, there is still a considerable volume in the lowlands. On every hand scenes of desolation meet the eye. The rivers are currying dead stock down to the sea and enormous quantities of drift wood. Fences everywhere are broken down and properties generally in the Taradale area are in a deplorable state. Damage to crops is extensive and complete and the

stock losses are very heavy, but it is not possible to get any estimate of the numbers.

Mr Donald Straehan, who took refuge yesterday in a poplar tree, was rescued at two o’clock this morning by a youth, the son of Mr W. Kinross White who performed quite a remarkable feat in pitch darkness. He swam a horse through the surging waters of a river in which small boats could not live, and reached the tree. Mr Straehan, almost exhausted, was put in the saddle by White, win. then attached himself to the louse’s tail and ordered the trusty animal to set out again for dry land, which was made in safety!

The body of a baby girl, who was buried in the house in Shakespeare Road, Napier, yesterday, was recovered this morning. Work on the waterfront is completely disorganised. The fire engine was requisitioned to pump water from the cellars in town and at Port Ahuriri.

All telegraph wires between Napier and Putorino are down which means that there is no connection between here and Gisborne. It is hoped to get communication through by to-morrow. The lines to Taupo are also interrupted between To Pohue and Eskdale. Two washouts on the railway in the vicinity of Waitangi and Clive and damage to the Whataku Bridge which had a pronounced kink, caused the suspension of railway traffic till late this afternoon.

A report received late to-night states it will be some months before the roads will be clear to Wairoa. The rivers are now rapidly falling and apparently no further danger exists unless more heavy rain comes. WILD WEATHER IN COOK STRAIT. Blenheim, March 12. What is described as the most terrific gale for 30 years was experienced in Cook Strait yesterday. The Wainui struck a heavy south-easterly gale with heavy seas. After battling against these conditions for an hour, the captain decided to turn back. It was a ticklish manoeuvre and the vessel was nearly on her beam ends. On the return she beat round the Brothers and made the northern entrance. The Queen Charlotte trip was abandoned, the passengers returning to their homes. The Tutanekai also put into Picton and the Wairau is sheltering at Port Underwood. The Nelson-Blenheim mail cars were held up, the Canvastown Rd. being five feet under water. The Lyttelton ferry steamer was delayed till 11.40 owing to the heavy weather. Wanganui, Last Night. Flood in the Wangaehu River wrecked a bridge at Kauangaroa, connecting the Wanganui and Rangitikei counties, also' the massive concrete centre pier of the new bridge being erected close by. RAILWAY SLIPS AT TAIHAPE. Taihape, March 12. A heavy.downpour of rain occurred at Taihape and in the Main Trunk district yesterday, two and it half inches falling in six lnnirs. Small slips on the railway between Taihape and Mataroa did not seriously delay 1 raffle; nevertheless, I lie trains left Taihape much behind the scheduled time. The trttin was held at Mataroa till advice caiuc from Ohakune that it might safely proceed. VISITATION AT NEW PLYMO U'l’H. New Plymouth, Last Night. A southerly of unprecedented liiry raged all night. The public hall at Western, which was in the course of erection and ready to be roofed, wits flattened out. A house at Spotswood was partially unroofed, and fences and gardens suffered severely. Several .plateglass windows iii business premises jyere cracked. Shipping at the breakwater had an uncomfortable time, but' came through safely. The gale is now moderating, but no work is possible at the wharf yet. ALL SHIPPING BELIEVED SAFE Wellington, Last Night. No serious damage by lloods is reported locally, but several washouts have taken place and some roads are almost impassable. Many vessels have not been reported, but it is believed all are safe and sheltering. Telegraphic communication is interrupted in several distrets. The gale is abating and rain has ceased here.