Chapter 171 New Zealand’s Wail

The cabinet meeting lasted until dawn, and Arthur and the cabinet ministers discussed a more appropriate disaster preparation and relief plan.

In order to prepare for this possible disaster, Australia will mobilize officials and forces from the Ministry of Health, Defense, Public Security, Industry and Civil Affairs. Prime Minister Evan will take command, Arthur will personally supervise, and the Ministry of Finance will provide strong support. If the typhoon does land on Australia's southeastern coast, Australia will mobilize the country's efforts to quell this disaster.

The Australian government will contribute at least half a million pounds to the rescue and resettlement of the victims.

The royal family will invest 600,000 pounds to be responsible for the relief and livelihood security of all disaster victims. At the same time, a certain level of compensation and assistance will be provided to Australian people who have suffered heavy property losses to ensure that they will not become refugees or zero-income groups due to this loss.

In the afternoon of that day, that is, the afternoon of November 7, 1903, the Australian troops training in the mountains to the west of Sydney had all been fully equipped and were gradually moving towards Sydney in the east.

Their current mission is to be stationed in the western suburbs of Sydney first, waiting for the typhoon to end and then quickly move to the southeast coast to carry out the initial rescue work.

The royal consortium is also making emergency preparations for relief supplies. In order to collect enough supplies, the royal consortium will jointly raise funds in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, and then use cars to transport them quickly.

The typhoon approached the southeastern coast of Australia in the afternoon and moved northeastward from the coast of Melbourne. In the eyes of all Australians with horror and joy, the typhoon gradually swept toward the southeast.

This is unfortunate good news for Australia. Although the typhoon was once close to Australia's most important southeastern coastal area, it only stopped briefly in the offshore area of ​​the southeastern coast before diverting to the southeast.

For Australia, the casualties caused by this typhoon were not large. No casualties occurred on the coast, except for some small boats that remained offshore as the typhoon approached.

After several confirmations, it was confirmed that the typhoon was indeed sweeping towards the southeast, and the entire Australian government relaxed. At the same time, it canceled the previous order on disaster relief mobilization, and Australia returned to normal construction in the past.

However, although the orders to mobilize various departments and troops were cancelled, the aid supplies and funds prepared by the government and the royal family have not been returned to their original locations.

To be precise, the government and royal family's aid and relief funds have been reduced, from the original half a million and six hundred thousand pounds to one hundred fifty thousand and three hundred thousand pounds respectively.

But these two aid funds are not prepared for Australia, but are prepared for Australia's southeastern neighbor, New Zealand.

New Zealand is located just southeast of Australia and is one of Australia's friendly neighbors and most closely connected countries.

Australia's cabinet ministers are naturally aware of what Arthur is doing in New Zealand. They know that New Zealand is currently being courted and is very likely to join Australia one day in the future.

Cabinet officials still want to see this. Especially the previous colonial governors headed by Prime Minister Evan.

During the Australian colonial period, New Zealand lasted as a part of Australia for a long time.

It has only been 63 years since New Zealand officially separated from Australia, and merger is still very possible for these two countries and regions.

The typhoon is currently traveling southeast and may make landfall in New Zealand. This is something that must be prevented. If a typhoon lands in New Zealand, it will be a huge burden and disaster for New Zealand's current poor financial situation.

If Australia and Arthur can provide help in times of need at this time, it will be much better than the icing on the cake after New Zealand develops.

As long as it can firmly capture the hearts and minds of all New Zealanders, New Zealand will also be a piece of fat that Australia eats and cannot fly out again.

In the early morning of November 8, 1903, Opunaki, a small city in the southwestern part of New Zealand's North Island.

This is an ordinary and quiet small town in New Zealand, with a permanent population of only more than 3,000 people.

If it weren't for the proximity to South Taranaki Bay, which allows residents to go fishing, the economic situation here might be similar to that of towns in the South Island.

However, fishing is also a job with unstable income. When the fishing is large, you can earn three or four pounds a month, and when the fishing is small, you can even earn less than one pound a month.

This also creates a more industrious character among the people living here. They often go out to sea to fish before dawn, and do not reluctantly return home until it is almost dark.

Although it is only after four o'clock in the morning, there are already many small fishing boats hanging kerosene lamps on the seaside of Opunaki, ready to set sail. They are going to the Tasman Sea further away, where there are many natural fisheries with richer fish. Fishing grounds allow them to earn more income.

In an ordinary fishing boat on the coast, Eric Theodore Cartman and his wife Orsola Aquinas were carefully checking things to make sure nothing was forgotten before preparing for a new day's sailing.

"Eric, why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?" Just as she was preparing to set off, Orsola Aquinas suddenly frowned and looked at her husband Eric Siou with some uncertainty. Dole Cartman said.

"Huh? It's okay, Orsola. You must be too tired during this period. How about you go back and rest today? I can do it alone." Eric Theodore Cartman was stunned. Then comforted.

"Maybe it's my imagination, my dear. It doesn't matter. I can also insist on resting until I come back at night. One more person is a helper, right?" After hearing her husband's explanation and comfort, Orsola Aquinas said I also felt that my thoughts were wandering due to lack of rest, so I shook my head gently to get rid of all distracting thoughts.

While the two were talking, several fishing boats were already sailing in the direction of South Taranaki Bay. Eric Theodore Cartman also accepted his wife's offer to stay and help, in order not to be left behind. After that, the two people quickly drove the fishing boat towards the Tasman Sea.

South Taranaki Bay is as calm as ever. Except for a few small fishing boats occasionally passing by, it seems to be in peaceful darkness at other times, with no movement except the sound of water and the roar of steam engines.

As the fishing boat gradually sailed out of South Taranaki Bay, the uneasy feeling in Orsola Aquinas heart became stronger and stronger. The waves gradually rising around her also made Orsola Aquinas feel panicked. .

"Dear, what's wrong with me? Why do I always feel like something bad is going to happen?" Orsola Aquinas finally couldn't help it anymore and once again turned to Eric Theodore next to her. Cartman asked.

Eric Theodore Cartman did not smile to comfort and explain this time. The instinct of a senior fisherman also made him feel that the sea area he was currently in was unusual.

As the waves ahead became more and more violent, and even gradually evolved into layers of waves, Eric Theodore Cartman's face became more solemn, and he turned to face Orsola Aqui. Na said: "Maybe you are right, Orsola. You can't fish today. Go back quickly and inform everyone that a typhoon may be coming!"

As he spoke, Eric Theodore Cartman had already begun to steer the fishing boat back toward Opunaki.

"Oh, God. No way, are you sure it's a typhoon?" Orsola Aquinas looked in disbelief, without the slightest joy of having her prediction confirmed.

"Although there is no complete guarantee, it seems likely. Orsola, you go and notify all neighbors to evacuate as much as possible. I will go to the mayor and ask him to notify other surrounding towns to evacuate as soon as possible." Rick Theodore Cartman said to Orsola Aquinas with a heavy expression while controlling the fishing boat to return home.

If it is really a large typhoon, the damage to New Zealand will be huge. Even if the typhoon does not make landfall, it will cause a large number of casualties and property losses to fishermen in the Tasman Sea and the North and South Taranaki Bays.

Just in the small town of Oplaki, dozens of fishermen have gone out, not to mention other small towns in the North and South Taranaki Bay. I am afraid that at least hundreds of fishermen have gone out to fish. Do you know if half of them can escape successfully?

Because Eric Theodore Cartman used the fastest speed, the fishing boat quickly returned to the small port of Opunaki.

Orsola Aquinas and Eric Theodore Cartman no longer cared about packing the things on the fishing boat. They quickly got off the fishing boat and ran towards their destinations.

By the time Eric Theodore Cartman arrived at the mayor's house and successfully woke him up, the typhoon had truly arrived at the beach in Opunaki.

Under the influence of the typhoon, Opunaki had a heavy rain that had never been seen before. This heavy rain also woke up many people who were sleeping. When they looked at the sky, they were instantly hit by huge raindrops. Shock.

Because it is a coastal town extremely close to the bay, Opunaki's original advantages have now become fatal disadvantages. At the same time, all residents of the town can clearly see the huge typhoon vortex in the distance.

Without too much hesitation, the first reaction of all the residents was to quickly wake up their family members and flee towards the interior of the North Island without even bothering to pack up their belongings.

Unfortunately, how can humans keep up with the speed of typhoons? As soon as they ran out of the town, a huge wave with a height of more than five meters rushed towards Opunaki, instantly submerging this century-old town.

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