NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES
THE GREAT STORM
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 01/02 FEBRUARY 1936

With practically no warning a steady downpour of rain on Saturday afternoon developed suddenly on the Saturday night into the worst storm within living memory. To the rain was added wind of hurricane force from the south and south-east, culminating in what was practically a country-wide storm between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday. The havoc wrought was extensive but from newspaper reports of the day some idea of the extent of the damage can be seen.

Telegraph and telephone lines were down in thousands all over the country. A number of roads were completely blocked to traffic, and the many slips put railways out of action.

Damage was reported all over the North Island and the eventual death toll was put at eleven. They were:

BOTTERILL Walter Frederick 23 Of Balmoral, Auckland Drowned in a Government drainage canal near Kaitaia while salvaging effects from a house which collapsed
GROVES Eric Wallace 16 Son of Mr and Mrs H G Groves of Tinui, Masterton Was struck on head by a branch while clearing a tree damaged in the storm
McLEOD Angus 18 New Plymouth. Son of Mr W F McLeod. Missing from New Plymouth on launch Mokau. Body never found. Memorial Te Henui Cemetery
McLEOD W F or W G [William Sutherland] 55 Pioneer Road, Moturoa, New Plymouth Missing from New Plymouth on launch Mokau. Body never found. Memorial Te Henui Cemetery
MIKOZ Francis Alexander 58 Cook. Married of 3 Belwood Avenue, Auckland. Drowned when the Mangatangi Stream, 12 miles from Pokeno overflowed its banks
MILLER Benjamin Arthur 72 Palmerston North Was struck on head by a piece of iron from a rood he was attempting to repair
MONTGOMERY W A [William Alfred Joseph Souter] [53] Married. Baker of Ngatea Presumed drowned in the Piako River near the turning point on Hopai Road. Body never found
SMITH William George 54 Mill worker. Of 5 Hardinge Street, Freeman's Bay, Auckland Drowned when the Mangatangi Stream, 12 miles from Pokeno overflowed its banks
WEBSTER George Frederick 78 Caretaker, Zeehan Mine, Waiomo near Thames Drowned in the Puhoi Stream when hut he was sleeping in was washed away
WILSON James Albert 15 Son of Mr and Mrs James Wilson of Waingawa Died of exposure while deer stalking in the Tararua Ranges
WOOD Ralph Reginald Frederick 29 Married man of Palmerston North Died of exposure while deer stalking in the Tararua Ranges near Levin



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