NO BIG FLOOD.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19139, 24 October 1927, Page 8

NO BIG FLOOD.

WAIMAKAJIIRI RISES. ALL BANKS HOLD FAST. MILKMAN LOSES HORSE AND CART. Although an exceptionally heavy flood was expected in the Waimakariri river during the week-end, the peak of the flood waters, reached at 1 a.m. yesterday, was much short of that attained in the last big flood. At 1 a.m. the gauge on White's Bridge registerexTlot't, Oft 6in above normal, compared with 18ft last November. From 1 a.m. until 3 a.m. the river, very muddv and moving rapidly, remained at l- r .' f t. At 3 a.m. it showed signs of subsiding, and at mid-day yesterday the <*uago showed a depth of Hit ym, with"the waters still falling. The stop-banks held firm in every place, and throughout the night they were patrolled by the Trust's workmen A certain amount of water got into the paddocks a little past White's bridge, bub most of this was caused by a "back-up" from Gregg's drain. Coutts Island was the only locality to suffer to any extent, the road from the bridge onwards being impassable. It was extensively scoured and the height to which the waters had risen on the island was shown by the debris that clung to the topmost wires of the fences. .. ... Rumours of a record flood, which were circulated in the City on Saturday, had no foundation in fact, although the reports from Oxford were such as to indicate a fairly big rise. No roads were blocked, and the many cars which took visitors to the scene of the flooding yesterday were able to negotiate all roads. Rain was very heavy all Saturday at Brown's Rock, near Oxford, and all over the back country in that district. Snow, lying deep on the mountains near the Waimakariri River Gorge, was melting rapidly under the rain, and in anticipation of a big flood, all stock round about Coutts Island was removed to high ground. Followiifg on the rise in the river of Friday night, and the ensuing subsidence, ' the second rise commenced at Oxford at 7 a.m. on Saturday, and while the 200 acres of land on Coutts Island were above water at • mid-day, motor traffic could not get on to the island. Twelve and a half inches of rain had fallen at Arthur's Pass by 9 a.m. on Saturday, being the total for two days. The first day's registration was 6.29 inches. The total was 4£- inches less than the fall which caused the flood of last November. Between noon and 3 p.m. there was a rise of 3ft in the river at Brown's Rock. In last year's big flood the record at Brown's Rotk was 10ft above normal. On Saturday afternoon a report from Sheffield stated that the river wasi Bft above normal, with fine weather and a strong nor'wester blowing. Except in the low places, all the flood waters had receded from Coutts Island yesterday afternoon. An island resident stated that the settlers had been very apprehensive and had ta%en all precautions with their stock. The water was just about to reach the crop lands when it began to recede. On the Hawthorne road a big hole was scoured out. This part of the road was damaged during the last flood and subsequently Repaired. Now the scouring is worse than before. A few fences were damaged, but the stopbanks held, the water just lapping over the top.

A Milkman's Loss. Through a miscalculation, a milkman, Mr Abbott, of Belfast, lost his horse, uart, and cans. For the purpose of making a short cut, he used Green's road, which leads to Dickie's road on Coutta Island, and, thinking that the flood waters of Friday had subsided, endeavoured to take his horse, and cart over the ford, which runs across the road. The water had scoured out a large hole, and was running swiftljy. The horse Bank and pulled the cart with it, and Mr Abbott lost control. He freed himself from the cart and swam to the shore, but nothing has yet been seen of the horse and cart. t . .