FLAXTON DISTRICT A LAKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1492, 15 July 1912, Page 4

FLAXTON DISTRICT A LAKE.

HIGHEST FLOODS FOR 22 TEAKS, • (By Tele&raph.-Press Association.) Christchurch, July 13. The rain censed to-day in the greater part of Cimterbury. Tho ilood at Flaxton is tho biggest oxpericuced for many years. This morning the flooding caused by the combined forces of tho Eyre and Custßivers.nl; their lowest reach were, if anything, wovso than yesterday. Tho Main Road and line and the side roads at Fiaxton were not safe for traffic. All Hie country is n perfect sea, and, although the outfall into tho Wniinatariri Eiver was fairly good, nnd that river, nt tho Kniapoi Bridge, went down threo feet at low fide, it will be some days before tho floods get off some hundreds of acres of arable land. The Eyre and Cust Rivers drain about 800' or ,100 stjuare, miles from a level of 788 ft. at Oxfowl to I tho lower altitude of J 2ft. above sea level flt Flaxton. In connection with the levels the height of the Eyre River overflow, towards Ohoka is Bft. higher thnn at Wilson's Siding, on which tho heavy current impinged, and, from Neeye's Corner to the outfall of the Kaikainui Creek, in which nnother escape from tho Eyre River takes place, tho decline is from 15ft. or lCft. to 7ft. These two streams have covered some hundreds of acres more than tho last D(y comber floods, or those of the previous .Inly. In fact the. inundations equalled tho deluge of the jubilee year flood on July G. 18S7. and stood a fair comparison with the Easter inundation nf 1874, as well as that' of September, IS9O. On tho last-mentioned occasion the railway traffic at Flnxton was suspended for practienjly a. fortnight. Last evening's train passengers for Dhoka. and Bennett's were conveyed by a thrce-horso drag from Kaiapoi to Wilrou's Siding. At Waverlcy thevo was over three feet of water on the rnnd, which entered the floor of the vehicle. The strong force of tho currents and floating logs nnd timber made tho journey in tho dnrk (lighted up by faro lamps on tho drag) a somewhat adventurous one. ,