THE RAINS & STORM

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 6

THE RAINS & STORM

WILD TIME AT SEA.

THE RIMUTAKA RE-OPENED.

FLOODS GENERAL

HEAVY CANTERBURY '• SUDE.'*

Although rain fell steadily all day yos« terday, tlio drains at botli Island mul I,yall Bays were ablo to cope with the storm water. The open enlvcrt running along the parade at Island Bay bora evidence yesterday of.having been roughly handled. All the low-lying land on each side of Urn tram track Was under water, and many backyards wore awaih. At Lyull Bay things aro at normal, but much of the iow-lying laiwl tn the vicinity is under, water. No serious damage has as yet . been reiiortcd from either place. The report published yesterday that, the Lvall Bay tea rooms had Ixwii flooded is stated to 1m incorrect. At Hutt and Petonc yesterday tlio winter wind swept the valley rain all dat. On the lower portions of Alicetown many paddocks and vacant sections are covered with water. A ©umber of dwellings were, in fact, isolated, through water settling at the front entrances. In many ploccs the reads aro partially covered. Tho Hutt Kiver has not risen to any great extent. It was a little over four feet above normal at a late hour last flight. There is, however, a strong current • running, carrying down a large amount of driftwood.

S.S. MAORI PUTS BACK. It is seldom that tho ferry steamer Maori cannot "look at" a southerly outsido Wellington Heads, but last' night * happened to be tho exception to tho rule, Tho "ferry flier" left tho wharf at her usual time—B,s_p.m.—and proceeded down tho harbour. Half an hour later she was brought up at anchor in Worser Bay, tlio weather Ijcing for her to venture out. Up till an. early hour this morning • sho was still at alienor.in the boy.'

SYDNEY BOAT VERY LATE. Late last uiglit a wireless message i)-a« received at the General Post Office from the Warrimoo, en route from Sydney to Wellington. The vessel has been battling against a south-easterly gale, and her coptain does not expect to arrive until Friday afternoon.

PASSENGER. DIES AT SEA. (By Tclteraph.'—Press Association.) Christchurch, July 17. The ferry steamer llararoa had a rough passage down lnsl; night, nnd arrived at Lyttelton about, noon. On tho voyage, a passenger, Mrs. .Harriet Olliver, a resident of Dunedin, died. She had been on a visit to the North Island .and was in. failing health. Crossing the Straits she became very ill, and collapsed a feir hours later, , - .

RIMUTAKA SLIPS CLEARED. r (Dy Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.! Masterton, July >17. Tho ordinary daily mnils from Wellinf" ton wero brought hero via the Mana-' watu line. Tho washout near Featherston has been repaired, and the slips on the Rimutaka removed. Tho lato train from Wellington came through to-night two hours behind time.

MAIL BRAKE V OVERTURNED. Master-ton, July 17. ' The rivers-in the district subsided tw. day, when the wind went round to the south and a cold south-easter came up. Considerable damage has been done in tho Jlasterton, Mauricovillc, and Wairnrapa counties by slips. - Several small bridges havo been washed away, and road communication is suspended in two or three directions. The. mail brake from Te Wharau was overturned ill- the Pahau Stream, nnd two bags of mails wero lost. One of (hose, 'however, was recovered to-dny; : "'' ' '

"SLIDE" OF A. THOUSAND TONS. ' -1 (By Telcerapli.—tress Association.) , Christchurch, July-17. Passengers by tho West Coast train did : not arrive in Christchurch till 10.50 this evening, consequout on a considerable landslide half a mile on the Springfield side of Avoca. It is estimated that mora . than one thousand tons of earth came down, -and, as a consequence, one sido. of the line was lifted from six to eight feet. irom tho surface. Tho. train from Cats, conveying West Coast passengers, was un- •: able to proceed past tho obstruction,' and a relief train .was sent out from Dnrficld and brought the passengers to town. It will bo several days, it is anticipated, liefore the obstruction is cleared and tho' .line" restored. In the meantime arrangements have been made to continuo com- ' munieation by conveying passengers to the.block, and carrying them by another I tw in to and from Case. • ~

PALMERSTON WEATHER.. (By Telegraph.—Spccial Correspondent.) Palmerston, July 17.'. Very heavy rain fell throughout the district all yesterday and last night. Tlw. Manawatu and othrr rivers are in llifjli (lood. The Manawatu River has eroded its l;<inl;s in several places in the borough and considerable damage has ten doiie. The rain ceased this morning, but tlio weather is still very threatening.

NGARTJRORO BANKED UP. (By Teleeraph.—Special Correspondent.! Hastings, July 17. Clivo and the surrounding country has been flooded to-day. This.is the result of heavy seas forming n big bar at the mouth of the Ngaruroro, backing, up the waters, and inundating tlio low-lying lands. No serious damage is likely to result, but 'ninny motoV-cnrs had to bo turned back to-day when attempting the Give Road between Napier and Hastings.

OTHER DISTRICT!?. (Bj Tolcuraph— Press Association.! Carterton, July. 17. The heaviest flood experienced for twenty years occurred at Carterton yesterday, the water running over the readways and transforming them into rivers. Many houses were flooded, though only to tlio depth of a few inches. The Dulefield Dairy Factory was flooded seven inches deep, and the railway lino between Fonthorston and Woodville washed ■ aw'a.y. The water is over the line in. many other places, and the approaches to four bridges on tho Dfilefield, Belvedere, and Mannings Ronds . washed out, and traffic therefore interfered with. A great deal of damage has been dons, to' the roads through the metal being washed off. i ~ Rain is now (11.10 a.m.) falling lightly, but the weather is turning colder,, and with driving, rough weather still anticipated. . -. ' „ , , . ' Greytown is also flooded.. ln« rivers all round are bank-high, slid in many places have overflowed. Taihape, July 17.. Shortly after mid-day yesterday th« train fTem Mangvnveka to Utiku was delayed through a slip falling an the line. The engine rods were slightly bout. Tlio line was cleared in between two and three hours. Cbristchurch, July Ir. The weather has moderated to-day. but a big sea is Mill running off the coast. Ye-torday. the coastal steamer Monica was swept three or four times in succession at the entrance to O'Knin's Bay. Ni« lost a boat overboard . and sustained minor damage. „ , , The rivers in North Canterbury are Ajjoiu Cflvvyitif* mow, than tlif uoviu.il quantity .of water, nwl n tarK* oroa of country remains flooded, v\uh tlio sat.ion "of rain, however; it should bo possible to repair the broken, banks, so as to prevent further damo«e. To Kiiiti, July 17, A heavy rainstorm this afternoon ficoi ed' the- flat portion of the' town, and converted the streets into torrent?. No fwi-. ous damage is reported, though sever,ii buildings are tomboravily, flooded. It-is still raining, and-tlio river is rising rapidlv. If ll'-' 1 downpour continues a heavy flood is certain.