FEARFUL WEATHER AT THE BAY OF ISLANDS.

Evening Star, Issue 3199, 22 May 1873, Page 3

FEARFUL WEATHER AT THE BAY OF ISLANDS.

{From Northern- Papers )

Since Easter Sunday we have had nearly continual rain, which has caused heavy floods in this part of the country, that on Sunday morning, the 20th ultimo, being by far the worst. The place where it appears to have caused the most mischief seems to have been at the Kawakawa, in the vicinity of the coal mines, where it came down very suddenly and heavily. The mines were flooded, and the railway many feet under water. The bridges have ibis time stood the shock, though the culverts and part of the line have been quite swept away. I hear it will be nearly a month before the lino will be in a sufficient state of repair to bring down coal. Several houses belonging to miners and others have been swept away by the force of the flood. In one instance a family of four, Mr M'Cabe (late A.C. force), wife, and two children, went adrift, and were ploked up at the Company’s loading ground, a distance of about three miles. The unfortunate people had succeeded in breaking a hole in the roof, got on the outside, and so clung on until they were rescued from their dangerous and unpleasant position. The (house shortly afterwards went to pieces, so that they have likewise lost the whole of their furniture and clothes. Aboqt forty or fifty others bad to be off the roofs of their houses by boats, they having succeeded in breaking boles through the roofs, and so fitting on to the outside. Mr bimon, pubican, had a skillion attached to his house, and used by him as a liquor store, carried away bodily, together with the whole stock of spirits, which he estimated a( L2<JiO. Mr. Callaghan, publican and storekeeper, Mr. Tautari, storekeeper, and others have been considerable sufferers, having n any goods completely spoiled. A great number of pigs, goats, and poultry have been drowned, together with several head of cattle and horses. The .Natives have been heavy losers, having had their ciops carried away, which, as winter is near and the price of kauri gum (their great stand-by) so low, will make hard times For them for a good while to ootpo. 1 believe much damage has also been done at other places inland, of which I have not heard particulars. Taken altogether, such a flood has not been in the district within the memory of any of the earliest settlers. From the Kawakawa, and all up the river, however, the most sad and alarming accounts have just been brought in of the disastrous ravages of the flood. Houses, boats, cattle and horses, and stores full of goods, have been parried down with the torrent. Numbers of poor people have lost everything they possessed, and are thankful in having escaped with their Jives. Mr Williams (the minemanager) beaded ft relief party, and

succeeded in saving the live* of forty people who must otherwise have perished. The damage to the mines cannot be estimated until the waters subside; but it is known to be very serious indeed, and will no doubt interfere with the supply of coal for son?e weeks to come. For days past the str am has been carrying out fragments of houses, furniture, cases of spirits, aud every conceivable floating thing. Property to the extent of several thousand pounds has been d< stroyed ; and the loss will, I fear, fall chiefly upon those who can ill afford it, many families being left quite homeless. At Northern Wairoa, the river rose to a height unparalleled during the last twentyfive or twenty-six years, the waters rising to about 30ft. above high-water maik. Mr Ruff’s place at Te Awamutu, about thirtyfive miles up from Mangawhau, was completely covered ; and the dwelling-house, after withstanding the force of the flood until the waters covered the ridge-pole, succumbed on the 21st, and, being in the midst of a strong eddy, was lifted from its foundations and carried some distance up a back creek. Fortunately Mr Ruff aud his family had removed to a place of safety, and had also succeeded in getting nearly all the furniture out of the house. The house was a substantial one and situated on a rising ground about 12ft, above ordinary bighwater mark. Several houses were washed away, but tbe Natives are tbe heaviest losers, haying had their crops entirely destroyed.