ROADS BLOCKED.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 March 1922, Page 2

ROADS BLOCKED.

THE TAUMATAMAIRE HILL. CONDITION AFTER STORM. Auckland Herald correspondents report vetoy bad conditions on the back-block roads owing to recent rains. The state of the Taumatamaire Hill is so bad that there is no direct communication between Auckland and New Plymouth. Ongarue, March 21. Weather conditions in the King Country during the past fortnight have been reminiscent of September. Heavy rainfall, thunder and lightning, and cold weather is the order. Motorists are having a bad time and the Taumatamaire Hill, between Te Kuiti and Awakino, is impassable. Mofors are coming to grief, one breaking a pinion, while two others had to remain out all night. Te Kuiti, March 21. An unpleasant experience befell Mr. Norman Borthwick on Friday night. He left Te Kuiti in a high-powered car driven by a chauffeur, on the way to the freezing works at Waitara. Near the top of Taumatamaire Hill, about 8 p.m., the car sank so deeply into the mud that, in spite of the chains and ropes, it came to a standstill. It was a wild night, rain falling incessantly and with a howling wind. The roads were so deep in mud that it was risky to venture out to search for a friendly house. The two travellers perforce had to reconcile themselves to spending the night in the car. They had no tea, and they had only one small rug between them. The rain beat through the hood and everything was soon sodden and uncomfortable. Morning came at last, and the car was backed down the hill until it could be turned round: A return was then made to Te Kuiti, where the car was put on a railway truck and sent to Marton.