STORMY WEATHER.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1920, Page 4

STORMY WEATHER.

HEAVY RAIN GENERAL. The rain which commenced to fall on Friday afternoon, developed into one of the heaviest downpours which has been experienced in the district for some time. The rain continued to fall heavily throughout Friday night, and showed no signs of abatement on Saturday morning, during the middle part of which there was a particularly heavy downpour. The rain continued throughout the best part of the day, and in consequence all outdoor sports had to be abandoned. The creeks and rivers were very swollen on Saturday. Yesterday ,the weather cleared and a fine evening promised a spell of good weather. The Waiwakaiho River rose some seven feet during the heavy rain of the week end. A guard was placed in front of the middle pier of the traffic bridge to divert logs, and successfully fulfilled its object. Among9t the various things brought down the river were a pig and (i cow. The timber was rescued by residents, who collected large supplies of wood, while the alteration of the course of the river has made large quantities of sand available for building purposes. By last night the river had fallen considerably.

INGLEWOOD IN DARKNESS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) On Saturday afternoon Inglewood experienced a full measure of wind and rain, the electric wires suffering considerably. It blew a gale all the afternoon, and the rivers were all in flood, with the result that the intake works were carried away shortly after 8.30 p.m. and the town plunged in darkness. Fortunately . warning had . been given earlier in the day of the possibility of the electric power being unavailable, so that candles and lamps were hastily got ready in case of emergency, thus enabling business and domestic affairs to be carried on. After conferring with the engineer, the Mayor authorised a gang of men to be at once set to work repairing the intake, and the electrical staff had a busy time attending to the wires damaged by the gale.

The heavy rain of last week has enmired a plentitude of feed for the late autumn, and considerably benefited turnip crops. A good autumn is required to'compensate for the bad spring and summer.

January .(states the Star) is proving a very wet month in South Taranaki. At Hawera over 4in. had already been registered up to Saturday, when the prospects were that a good deal of rain Would fall.