GREAT STORM.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 308, 1 July 1879, Page 2

GREAT STORM.

On Saturday last, and during the ensuing night, Akaroa and its neighborhood were visited with the heaviest fall of rain which has been known here for a great many years, if indeed its equal has taken place since the place was settled. We are not aware whether there are any raingauges in Akaroa, but two tubs which were placed out in a yard, away from any possibility of any water draining into them except what fell direct, collected the enormous quantity of seven inches of rainfall between three o'clock on the afternoon of Saturday arid daylight on Sunday morning, before which time the rain had ceased. I The Christchurch coach was piloted through in safety till it came to Halm's bridge, where it sank into the loose earth which had been placed over the arch, and was with difficulty extricated. During the night a great portion of this structure was washed away. The bridge in German Bay is also considerably damaged, the pier furthest from "Akaroa having sunk considerably, whilst that on the Akaroa side has also sustained some injury. In Robinson's Bay a culvert has gone, and in Duvauchelle's Bay the bridge, though not rendered impassable, has been lifted from its position by the force of the water. Several landslips had also occured, sufficient to impede traffic. Fortunately Sunday turned out to be a fine day. Messrs Barwick and Duxbury were engaged all that day, with the assistance of some hands, in getting the roads clear of all obstructions to traffic. They succeeded in doing so sufficiently to enable the coaches to run as usual yesterday. We have not heard of what damage has been done on the other side of the range, but no doubt some of the new made roads in that direction have suffered severely. Mr Roberts of German Bay, and Mr Piper, of Duvauchelle's Bay, have each lost some fencing and; two bridges. From the Plains there comes a fearful talc of disaster extending from the Waiau in the north to the Waitaki on the south. On Sunday morning a special train containing Mr Conyers, Mr Bach, and some other, railway officials left Christchurch on an exploring expedition along the north line., They .were unable to proceed further than the i Eyreton Junction between Kaiapoi and Rangiora. The scene here is described in the extreme. The special reporter of" the Lyttelton Times thus describes it:-—.".Away Joward the ranges, as far as the eyes could reach was one vast lake ; houses aud hayricks standing out prominently on the surface, more like so many ships and boats than what they really were. I have upon only two previous occasions witnessed such a spectacle—once in 1865, in the State of Louisiana, when the Mississippi broke through the levee; and again in February, 1868, when I had occasion to travel on the highway between Tokomairiro and Balclutha in a boat." At one o'clock another special train Btarted on the south, line, but was unable to get than Selwyn. The flood nerth of Kaiapoi is described as being the highest that has been known for the past fifteen years, and that at the Selwyn the highest known for seventeen years. As might be expected, the settlers have exp'erieife'ed" greatbosses in cattle and sheep,.which have been drowned, turnips | washed, QUtJof thp gjrj>und, &o. Some 'shipping disasters are also reported! ' To wards-midnight on" Saturday, a'French barque, the B. L. was driven ashore • about four miles north of New Brighton. All on board: were saved. At. Tjmaru the brigantine' Akbar, and the schooner Pelican also went ashore, the former wreck being unhappily accompanied by the loss of five lives, viz., Capt. Watt, the master, his wife, the boatswain, named Ned, the cook, name unknown, and a boy named Jim." Tho men- of the schooner Pelican were got ashore isafely. Yesterday railway-traffic was suspended between and on the Albury branch, also between Rangiora and Oxford, and it was' not. expected that trains from Christchurch northwards would be able to proceed furtherAthan Kaiapoi. . p.n .the .whole, the residents of.'the Peninsnla.are to be congratulated ~on- having escaped with so little damage in comparison with their less fortunate brethren in other parts of the country.