THE HAWKE'S BAY FLOODS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3111, 15 June 1917, Page 5

THE HAWKE'S BAY FLOODS

GKJiAT DAMAGE. BUT NO CASUALTIES. '(By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Napier, Juno 11. A modest estimate of the damage douo 3>y tho recent floods in Hawke's if ßay ■places tho loss at .£200,000. It is considered doubtful whether all the culnerls, bridges, and roads could bo pro•perly repaired and all the stock replaced for that sum. The Napie.r-Waixoa Road is reported to ha'vo suffered very 'severely. iiy Telegraph—Press Association. Napier, June 11. The rainfall at Tutira for 72 hours was i20.1l inches. The water is rapidly disappearing. Tho washout on the railway Hi no, fivo miles squill of Napier, .is not ecrions. Thero is a 30-foot washout on the main south road and one of 120 feet on tho Taradalo Road. No sheep aro left in tho flooded area, but the other damage is'quite 'small. Tho three missing men turned up, therefore thero wero no casualties. Tho mails wero conveyed in and out of Napier by railway trolly, which traverses the lino suspended over the washout. The Wairoa Road is said to be a thing of tho past. ' ENORMOUS LOSSES OE STOCK. Hastings, June 11. The weather is colder, but the sun is shining brightly and tho flood waters aro rapidly receding. It is unquestionable that settlers in the flooded areas have suffered enormous losses, but the lull extent will not bo ascertainable until they aro able to return to their properties. By good luck there has been no loss of life, but there were many narrow escapes. Tho losses in stock are worst in Omahu, Pakowhai, Meeanee, and Tarndale districts. Messrs. Richmond and Fernie estimate their loss at '4000 sheep and 50 fat cattle; Mr. Pointon (Meeanee), 550 sheep, 9 bullocks, 8 Worses, and all his cows; Mr. Keith Cotterill, 700 sheep; Mr. .T. S. M'Leod (Omahu), 200 sheep;'and Mr. F. Rhodes is reported to have lost ]«tween 2000 and 3000 sheep. These few statements of losses indicate how serious the flood has been to the farmers in the closelv settled districts. A well-known stock agent estimates the total loss in sheep at between 10,000 and 12,000.

The Telegraph Office advised at 9 a.m. yesterday that the only outlet to Wairoa ami Gisborne was by way of Auckland, and that there would he a very heavy, delay on telegrams for the above'district