FLOODS IN OTAGO.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1830, 16 August 1913, Page 5

FLOODS IN OTAGO.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC DISORGANISED. RESCUE WORK. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Dunedin, August 15. ■Heavy rain fell without ceasing throughout last niglit and until about G p.m. Old residents on the Taieri say that this lias been the heaviest continuous downpour ever Experienced. A largo area on the Plain is under water, but tho river has kept its banks so far, and timely precautions have prevented any serious loss of stock. A number of houses about Mosgiel weie flooded to a slight extent. Traffic on the Outram lino is suspended. Advice from Middlemardhi at 9 p.m. stated that the Taieri River had risen 3 feet, and was gotting dangerous. All (he flats were under water. If rain continues in that district there will l be danger of a'sorioua flood on , the Taieri. The Otago Central Railway is completely blocked. The train leaving Dunedin at 7.15 a.m. got through Taien Gorge about 6 p.m., and is expected to arrive at Clyde about midnight. The 11.40 train from' Dunedin, with 20 passengers on board, was blocked by a slip at Hindon, and in attempting to return was blocked by oair other slip.

■The train from Clyde, with 49 passengers, was blocked at Pukerangi, and had to return to Middlemarch. There will be no traffic on the line to-morrow, but it is expected- to resume on Monday. Shortly, before 5 p.m.. a big slip came down on the lino between, Kavensbouine and Burkes, and no trains have got through since. The train for Pal'merston was cancelled, and passengers on the other trains were transferred over the slip by drays. A ballast train and gang is engaged clearing the slip 'away. It is hoped to get the second express through to-morrow, but passengers by the earlier trains will have to oress over the slip.

About 11 o'clock on Thursday night residents of Milton were alarmed by a flood in the main streot. In. some parts the water was about knee-deep, and it quickly extended over a. considerable area. A band of willing workers on horseback and in vehioles was eoon busily engaged in rescuing people whose houses were inundated. In 6ome cases rescues were effected through bedroom ■ windows, and wero attended by diliioulty and danger. On Thursday the work was suspended in the hosiery department of tho Bruce Woollen Mills, owing to a elig!ht flood, and at M'Gill's Flour Mills . operations were suspended for the same icason. The flood-waters had receded somewhat this morning, but heavy rain fell all day, and at -1.30 p.m. the water was again rising. The coach from Lawrence to Roxburgh was unable to get through to-day, owing to the height of Beaumont Creek. A motor-car and trap were used for the conveyance .of passengera and mails. Some houses on tne low levels at Kaitangata are flooded. All tho stock has had to bo shifted to'high ground) A good deal of land in the Clutha distriot is ■ under water.

What's in a name ? Very often a great deal. That of the N.Z. Express Co.. for Instance, is everywhere regarded as synonymous with eood service and satisfaction in forwarding and delivering parcels, not only to any part of New Zealand. but to any address abroad.—Advt.

At the airchory tournament at Le Tou?ust, Mr. Ingo Simon beat Sir Ralph 'ayno Gallwey's record of 3G4 yards 10 inches accomplished in 1805, by ffhooting an arrow a distance of 459 yards 8 inches. Ten acres of earthworks, constructed by tho Royalists when Newark was besieged during the Civil War in 1G44, hare been opened as a public rccroation ground.

The Belgian military authorities havo been experimenting: with machine-guns drawn by dags, which are said to prove very satisfactory substitutes for horses.