NEW SOUTH WALES FLOODS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 124, 23 February 1928, Page 11

NEW SOUTH WALES FLOODS

FINE WEATHER: WATERS STEADILY FALLING LOSSES OF STOCK VERY HEAVY MAROONED SETTLERS SHORT OF FOOD Last night’s reports from Sydney indicate that the flood waters are steadily falling. Many settlers are still marooned and are suffering from a lack of food. Stock losses are expected to be heavy, the sheep losses alone being estimated at 40,000. (Rec. February 22, 10.15 p.m.) BY Telegraih.— Press association Copyright. Sydney, February 22. All the flooded areas report fine weather. The water is steadily falling. After being inundated for a week Grafton is now in the paradoxical position of being without water for drinking and household purposes, the flood waters having broken the intake into the reservoir. Meantime the residents are using flood waters, which, owing .to the presence of decaying debris and drowned animals, are not too sweet or palatable. The streets and many of the flooded homes are in a filthy condition, being covered with mud, slime and other debris. Cleaning operations are in full swing where practicable. Many dwellers on an island in the Clarence River and elsewhere in outlying places are still marooned and are suffering from lack of food. Emergency transport is being organised to relieve them and large numbers of stock which, owing to the wholesale destruction of pasturage and fodder, are in a famishing condition Nyngan reports that police boats laden with food supplies are having a hazardous time negotiating the flooded Bogan River and relieving isolated settlers. Vast stretches of pastoral country are under water, and stock losses very heavy. It is estimated that forty thousand' sheep perished. The river has commenced to recede, but a lot of water has still to come down, and it is feared that worse things are m store. TWEED RIVER BADLY FLOODED RESIDENTS SHORT OF FOOD Sydney, February 4. Belated reports of floods in the Tweed River show that the whole valley is dceplv inundated. Isolated townships and residents are suffering badly for want of food, supplies of which have been cut off for days. Houses in Murwilhimbah are flooded half-wav up the walls, and some even have only the roofs showing. The rainfall since the first of the month has been 31 inches. Throughout the week-end residents rowed about the streets in swimming costumes, rescuing property. The latest report states that the waters are receding. NO DANGER AT BRISBANE Brisbane, February 21. Fears of a flood in the Brisbane River have been allayed. The water is now * falling. The Albert and Logan Rivers are in the highest flood for years, and serious damage has been caused) The railway services are badly dislocated in various places by the floods and washawavs. At Maryborough the river invaded the town,' and suburbs are isolated. The wharves were submerged.

GLEN INNES SUFFERS SEVERELY

DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £lOO,OOO (Rec. February 22, 11.30 p.m.) Sydney, February 22. Glen Innes was among the places which suffered severely through the floods In several instances isolated parties had to be rescued, some having been two days without food. Eugowra reports that the flood rushed right through the town, poured into all the houses, and washed some away bodilv, also bridges and crops. The water rose so rapidly that people in motor-cats in the streets were surrounded bv deep water and had to be rescued. ’Many people have been rendered homeless. The damage in the district is estimated at £lOO,OOO.

TWO MEN DROWNED IN QUEENSLAND (Rec. February 22, 11.30 p.m.) Brisbane, February 22. Two more men are reported drowned in the floods. . Maryborough is still in the grip of the invading water. The river is several feet over the wharves. The lower portion of the town is flooded, and many residents have been compelled to leave their homes. RIVERIN A DISTRICT BENEFITS Sydney, February 22. Graziers and farmers in the Riverina district state that enormous benefit, should result from the recent rains. The only interest that has suffered has been grape growing, the berrie= being caught at the ripening stage. Ihe autumn should be the best experienced for manv years. All the Lower Ri\ e ina stock 'have been removed to the home pastures, as there >3 now abundance of grass in districts wircl: have been bare for two or more years.