THE FLOODS.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 842, 17 January 1866, Page 2

THE FLOODS.

The Duns fan Titn<is says : One of the heaviest floor's that has ever been known swept clown the Molyneux on Wednesday last. The river was five feet higher than at the time of the great flood in July, 1864. The damage up-country must have been very severe, judging from the enormous quantity of wreck that came floating’ down. Hill’s Bridge, at Cromwell parted in the centre about 10 a.m., and totally disappeared. One half was caught about two hours afterwards at the Manuherikia Junction. The other half was caught a short distance from Hartley’s Beach soon after the accident by some miners, but their tackling breaking, it was borne off by the current. As it passed Clyde it caught the wire rope of Messrs Edwards and M'Pherson’s self-acting punt, and damaged the mooring posts. With the exception of flooding two or three dwellings, no other injury was sustained at Clyde. Alexandra suffered severely. Waterstreet was true to its name. Messrs M’Kenzie’s large punt was moored alongside Roger’s old store, and, with about two exceptions, the inhabitants had to make a general clear out. Leslie’s Ferry Hotel was covered to about half the roof. The selfiactiug punts from the Kawarau to the Beaumont have all ceased working, each having sustained more or less damage to their mooring gear, and communication between the Dims tan and Tuapeka is completely cut off. A large quantity of firewood was caught by parties residing on the banks of the river, and in many cases the catches were of considerable value.

Lakes Wakatip and Wan aka have been higher, so says that venerable individual “• the oldest inhabitant,” than is within the compass of his recollection. Many of the

houses in Ross street, Queenstown, werh flooded. ' On the Shotover end Arrow much, damage has been done. Dams have been washed away, and tail-races and paddocks filled with debris. The miners at the Nevis have suffered severely. The large dam just completed by the combined labor of the claimholders on the flat has been totally destroyed, and must be re-erected before work in the claims can be resumed. From all quarters we hear of severe losses and destruction of property, but no account of casualty to human life has as yet reached us. The Wakatip Mail of the 13th instant reports as follows ;—“ Although there has been but a very little rain for the last two days, the Lake has only fallen a few inches, and before leaving this part of the subject we must not omit to record that the rapid rise of the Arrow and Shotover rivers choked up the Kawarau and forced it back —as on the 10th July, 1863—over the falls, so that the waters of that river flowed into the Lake, which enabled a gentleman to row over them quite easily. It is too early yet to estimate the damage done till the water recedes, and until then it would be foolish for us to speculate of attempt even a rough calculation, for a heavy wind or rain would commit a work of devastation that the damage done up to the present time, as a comparison with* would be as a trifle. The following are the names of those who .ape up to the present time the greatest sufferers :—• Messrs Hallenstein and Co, M‘Beath, Eichardt, Fitzgerald, R. Burns, Duncan and Lamb, and Bullen’s empty store is already almost entirely without a back. The whole of these buildings are untenable, as also the major part of those belonging to the following parties, who are more or less heavy losers:— Messrs Rees, Williams, J. Dohey, M’Laren. G. Atkins, Goldston, Spragg, Fraer, Black, Handers, Tyree, Malaghan, Huff and C., Cameron, Robertson and Co, Keay and Co. Several other buildings are more or less injured, and some are untenable, amongst which we may mention the Union Bank, the Commercial Arms, the Wakatip Hotel, besides several empty buildings. The Bank of Otago came in for a few inches of water, but there must be several feet of it in some of the places. There is not one jetty left, out of the four Queenstown possessed a few days ago—the two best of which belonged to Mr Rees and Messrs Robertson and Co. The only premises unhurt in Rees-street are those of Messrs Lorrimer, Pasco, and Martin, consequent upon being built on piles on the highest side of the street. The prayers for a calm are, of course, many and silent and though a bold front is maintained by all, yet great anxiety is felt at the appearance of anything approaching a strong breeze. Business has been almost entirely suspended. but on reference to our advertising columns it will be found that a great number of the sufferers have started business in temporary premises. With these particulars we close cur observation for the present about the effects of the flood in Queenstown, and we sincerely trust it will not be our painful duty in next issue to record any additional damage to that already sustained, and hope the water will have so far left the town as to enable us to arrive at a correct estimate of this sad catastrophe.

P.S.—Saturday, 4 o’clock a m.—The appearance of the weather is more promising than it has beep for some time past. The Lake seems to be gradually falling, but it will take some time to leave the town entirely at the present rate.