Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1955), Tuesday 16 July 1946, page 1


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Welcome sunshine and calm weather today gave promise of river floods quickly abating and already the waters are receding. The fine weather is expected to last long enough for the river to fall considerably. While it is still early to assess the flood damage, it is not expected that this will be high. Early reports show that farmers have suffered little damage and a spell of fine wea

ther will be very beneficial. Road and rail services are gradually returning to normal, and airlines are operating their usual schedules, with only slight delays. Flooded out families are hopeful of returning to their homes soon. Noon tide reading today showed 5 feet 4 inches, 45 inches below yesterday's maximum, but the graph still showed a slight upward tendency.Vegetable Vegetable gardens on the river flats have been inundated, but the

damage cannot be assessed until floodwaters recede. Floodwaters in Middle Swan, Guildford, Bassendean, Bayswater and Belmont began to recede by midday. . Boat Service But in North Road, Bassendean, where six houses are isolated, water lies six feet deep across the road and is still licking the front and back verandahs o£ the houses. Residents of North Road fear that their rowing-boat ferry service, mainly conducted by women, between the houses and dry land will have to be continued for several days.

Their front fences and gardens are completely submerged. Rowing boats can be drawn up almost to the front doors. The approaches to Barker's Bridge, Guildford, are still flooded and in Slade Street, Bayswater, the road is impassable. Farmers generally seemed to have got off fairly lightly, Undersecretary for Agriculture G. K. Baron-Hay said today. 27 Inches Perth yesterday recorded 46 points of rain, which increased the monthly total to 771 — more than an inch above the July normal. Total points for the year rechecked by Weather Bureau officials is now 2702, a figure well above the average for the first complete seven months (2168 points,' . Winds in the city last night were fresh to strong and reached a maximum velocity of 37 m.p.h. at 10.50 o'clock, but shortly after midnight the wind velocity dropped sharply. Buses which were diverted to St. George's Terrace because of the flooding of Riverside Drive yesterday, have resumed their normal route around the river foreshore. ggjlip'- Cattle herds stranded on high ground: Page 6, Col S.