The Floods in Hawke's Bay If

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 135, 7 December 1893, Page 2

The Floods in Hawke's Bay I f

THE WATERS SUBSIDING. A SAD SPECTACLE. THOUSANDS OF CATTLE AND SHEEP DROWNED. LPer Press Association] Wellington, December 6. The Premier wired a. message of sympathy to the Mayor of Clive and other places flooded in Hawke's Bay, and offered to send up a detachment of torpedo men to assist the settlers in restoring order in their homes if necessary. Mr McKerrow, Chief Railway Coniinissioner,]eftoverkndforHawkes Bay this afternoon on business connected with the damage done to the railway line in that district by the floods. A public meeting of the citizens of Wellington has been convened by the Mayor for to-morrow afternoon, to determine what steps shall be taken to assist the sufferers by the Hawke's Bay floods. NAPrss, December 6. The flood waters at Clive have gone down considerably since last night, but even in its present condition the whole place, with ruined homes and dead stock everywhere, and carcases of sheep coming down the Ngaruroro river in dozens, presents a saddening spectacle. Supplies of food were despatched from Napier this morning, some settlers coming to the Clive Hotel in boats for supplies. From Papakura through to Meanee and Clive the crops are ruined. Those settlers who saved their stock now have the trouble staring them in the face of having no fodder for the winter months as the hay is all destroyed. The body of the Rev Douglas has not yet been found. The weather has now broken. The settlers at Waipawa bush spent a fearful night. The waters flooded them out, and the people had to be conveyed to the township. Waipukurau township suffered also, the lowlying parts being under water to a depth of 3ft. • Many bridges throughout the district have been washed away, while vehicular traffic is suspended in all parts through land slips. It is impossible to estimate the damage until the floods subside, but the loss everywhere is ruinous. There was not the slightest anticipation of the flood at midnight, but half-an-hour afterwards the whole of the Clive and Papakura districts were from 5 to 12 feet under water with a current running like a mill race. This was due to breaking of the embankments on both the Ngaruroro and Tukituki rivers, whose waters joined and centred in Clive. Practically all the stock at Clive and Papakura perished. At Taradale and Meanee the water was not so deep, and though a good many sheep were drowned, the cattle and horses were saved. Over the whole district, however, the crops are utterly ruined. To-day loads of provisions, blankets, and clothing were sent out to the sufferers for whom already about £400 has been collected. The Premier sent a kindly message of sympathy to the Mayor, offering the assistance of the Permanent Artillery and Torpedo Corps. Mr Swan replied, saying there were plenty men available here, but would be glad if Government would authorise the engagement of some of them to get rid of the dead stock. The parties under Sergeant Oullen, Detective Kirby, and Constable Norwood, have returned to town after some terrible experiences. They had great difficulty in navigating the lagoon and the river, and when they arrived they found the town desolate. The damage done is at present incalculable, but judging from appearances it will be long before Hawke's Bay regains itself. An enormous quantity of live stock have been destroyed. Messrs Stoddart, Higgins and Robinson have lost terribly, and there has been an immense loss of goods and chattels. Too much praise cannot be given to the police for their prompt and efficient action, or to the Mayor and Captain Kraft, of the Spit, with his staff of boatmen. This Day. At Chestershire, near Hastings, and on the properties o{ Messrs Kelly, Midgeloy and no fewer than 20,000 sheep have been lost. The flood water is rapidly subsiding in all directions, and a better view is now given of the great loss the settlers in Clive, Meanee, Papakura, and elsewhere have suffered. Travelling through the districts which have been flooded nothing meets the eje but dead sheep and cattle and destroyed crops, to say nothing of the ruined homes of the Chve selt'ers. The body of Mr McFavlane has not been recovered. A Maori named Haraniora committed an heroic act by swimming through the torrent of raging waters, and recuing one of the men who were trying to save the bridge. Another Maori went in on horseback and rescued a third man. Thousand? of cattle have been drowned and represent a great loss both to large and small farmers, but it is doubtful whether the loss to the crops is not a larger one.