The Floods.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 244, 17 April 1895, Page 2

The Floods.

The damage done to the roads and bridges in the Kiwitea County bj r the recent heavy rams is not very considerable in the aggregate. At Cheltenham the eastern approach of the small bridge on the Cheltenham Cross road has been scoured out, but the big bridge remains intact, the protection works having acted effectually. The western approach to the bridge over the Kiwitea, at Beaconsfield, has been injured to some extent, a gap of about 20 feet having been made. Steps have been taken to immediately open the last named bridge for horse traffic. The western approach of the bridge across the overflow near Mr Oldenshaw's has also been affected, but the bridge remains intact. A large culvert on the Cheltenham Cross road, near Wilson's line, has been washed out. There are some heavy slips on the Kimbolton road between the Bluff road and Beef creek which have stopped all traffic for the present. ; Ifr will be seen from the above that the Kiwitea County has escaped remarkably i lightly. At the meeting of tbe County Couucil to be held on Saturday next all • necessary arrangements will be made s to effect the required repair. The in- , jury done to the Lower Gorge bridge, » over the Manawatu, is somewhat more i serious than was at first reported. Five [ spans have been carried away from the [ Napier end of the structure, and as fai ; we can ascertain this is the most serious i loss inflicted throughout the colony on the local bodies interested, as it will > cost not less than £4000 to restore the ; bridge. The floods have now subsided in this district and show that considerable [ damage has been done to roads, bridges, . fences and other private property. The bridge across the Oroua at Awa- . huri and its approaches have stood the strain well, but the road to Awahuri has suffered considerably. All railway traffic is suspended between Palmerston and Hawke's Bay. there being numerous slips in the Gorge. The Palmerston Standard r* ports that a gentleman who walked through on Monday counted no less than 35 slips along the line, and it is estimated that fully 3,000 tons of eartl ' have come down in one slip alone. It is calculated that it will be fully a fortnight before thorough communication is 5 restored. It is impossible also to gei i through the Gorge by road, owing tc the washing away of the road bridge, sc that communication in that direction is \ effectually blocked. The roads are in [ very little better condition. Bridges . and culverts are down in all directions, . and traffic is rendered difficult, if not absolutely dangerous. ' Cattle and sheep have suffered . severely, but so far we have not heard of any being drowned in this district. > It is reported that very little damage has been done to tbe road bridges in the Manawatu Road Board's district, though the flood was the highest ever seen in the district. From Oroua Bridge to Karere it is nothing but an inland sea (says the Standard). All the line and bridges are washed away from Oroua Bridge schoolhouse to Jackeytown. Most of the ' cattle and sheep were saved. There are ten feet of water in the Post Office store, and all furniture and clothing was washed away. Mr Meldon's store is also under water. The late rains caused heavy floods in the creeks and rivers in the Rangitikei county, but the accounts received so far have not disclosed any very serious damage, though many small slips and breaches iv the roads are reported. William Hobbs, aged 17, was drowned on the Waikanae road yesterday morning. He was riding by the river, when the bank collapsed and both horse and rider were drowned. The constant rain since Friday night last has done a large amount of damage. Advice from Hunterville states that traffic is suspended on both sides of Obingaiti. The Makohine bridge approaches nave been washed out, which makes it impassible for wheel traffic. The road from here to Hunterville is blocked by heavy slips on Vinegar Hill. The railway traffic is suspended. [Per Press Association!. Napier April 15. The Taranaki-Hawke's Bay match, which was stopped by rain yesterday when the Hawke's Bay team had scored 142 without the loss of a Wicket, could not be finished to-day on account of the wet state of the ground. As the visitors cannot get home on account of the interrupted railway communication, they will probably continue the. match. Though a great deal of rain has fallen on the coast there has not been an abnormal fall inland. All the Hawke's Bay rivprs are in flood. The bush districts are the greatest sufferers. At Pahiatua the water was yesterday three feet deep in the streets. Many bridges are reported to be carried away. It will be some time before railway communication isfullyrestqred. I oammmKmm^mmmmmmmmm