Saturday's Storm

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 67, 13 November 1888, Page 3

Saturday's Storm

For many years we have not had so severe a storm as that experienced on Saturday last. When the breeze freshened up on Thursday from the 8 E, weather wise people said we would hare three days of it, but on Friday, aa there appeared a break in the weather, hopes were entertained that ~the prophets were false ones, and that we would have a fine day on Saturday After all. The optimiss, who were of that opinion, were, however, doomed to disappointment, for instead of a iine day we had what was probably the most miserable we have had for years. The wind blew about half a gale, and was accompanied by heavy rain, which did not intermit for half .an hour at a time during the whole period of its prevalence. This was ■quite exceptional, the rule here being that people can always get about their business between the showers. It is not surprising then, under these circumstances, the rivers and streams should be in high flood on Saturday and Sunday. The Makino stream <loes not appear to have done any observable damage, but the Kiwi tea has not been so merciful, having cut away the ford, besides a portion of the Kjmbolton road. The Oroua river was bank high, and, besides doing some injury to the bridge at Menzies, carried oS the new protective groins lately erected by Dr Monckton on the xiver banks at " The Camp." A quantity of newly planted land, in -which willows and other shrubs had been put in with the view of checking the action of the water during floods, vsras taken away bodily. Lower down, the Railway Bridge was put in some ■jeopardy. The cement groins were shaken and cracked, while, at one time, tha large trees threatened to carry away the whole structure. Fortunately previous experience had taught people what to expect, and the Railway Manager came down in a " special"' with plenty of men to do all the works necessary to prevent any injury being done which, might interrupt the traffic. Some of the crops on our side of the river towards A.wahuri were either injured or washed away •entirely, while the approaches to the bridge there were considerably injured. At the Gorge bridge one of the dolphins was washed away, and the approaches slightly damaged, but beyond this the bridge has sustained no serious damage. All sorts of rumors were current yesterday morning of dreadful damage done to the hotels and shops in Palmers ton, but -of course they were much exaggerated, and the following extract from the Manawatu Times gives no doubt a tolerably accurate statement of the facts : —

More boisterous weather than that •of Saturday has never been expert enced in the Palmerston district, and, indeed, the oldest residents cannot call to memory a fiercer gale than that which prevailed in the afternoon and evening of that day. Panes of glass were broken and fences blown down in all directions, but beyond this no serious damage was caused to property. The streets were flooded at different yoints, and at the corner of the Royal Hotel the water was quite tnee-deep. The Manawatu was in high flood, running from bank to bank, and at various low- lying places, it overflowed and flooded the adjacent property. A large slip has occurred on the railway line at P.dkakanki, and it is stated that it will take two days to clear it away.

Our Otaki correspondent wires :— A big slip has occurred on the Railway at Pukeroa. Passengers had to change trains. The line has also subsided at Tokomaru swamp.

(per united preps association.} Woodville, This Day. At Kumeroa, a stream was in flood, and broke the banks and swept through the village, flooding out several of the residents, who had to take refuge in the school-house. The morning train from here was detained about an hour by a glip on £he line on the Matauri cutting.