THE FLOODS IN OTAGO.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 631, 27 June 1876, Page 2

THE FLOODS IN OTAGO.

The Daily Times of Saturday says:— The almost steady fall of rain, which commenced early on Thursday morning, continued unabated last night. The result has been that all the low lying ground in and about Dunedin has been completely flooded. Kensington and the South Dunedin districts, as usual on occasions of heavy floods, have been almost completely laid under water, and perhaps flooded more than has even hitherto been the case. The road leading through South Dunedin to the Ocean Beach was covered with water in one or two places,

and the vacant piece of ground between the Gasworks and Kensington was completely submerged, which was indeed the case with a great deal of land situated on the Flat. We have been informed that in one instance a man and his family at St Kilda found the prospect surrounding them so uninviting that they essayed, without being successful, to quit it by means of a raft. Maclaggan street was also very much flooded yesterday morning, but the culverts were attended to by the Corporation day laborers, and we have not heard of any damage of importance being sustained by those residing in that neighborhood, A good deal of debris was

brought down the channels and deposited opposite the Shamrock Hotel. The Water of Leith rose very high on Thursday night, but as the water appears to have a clearer course than formerly, but little if any damage was done, and the current had subsided considerably yesterday evening. The gardens and yards situated at the lower end of St Andrew and Hanover streets were covered with water, and many of the residents in that locality must have had a rather unpleasant time of it. The garden at the south end of the Dunedin Hospital was completely under water. The rivers between Dunedin and Oamaru were very much swollen, especially the Waitati and the Shag Rivers. As the bridges on this road are all in good order, Cobb and Co’s coach, which left Oamaru yesterday morning, was able to come through to Dunedin without much difficulty. The Dunstan coach, however, which left Dunedin yesterday morning, was unable to cross the Shag River, which was running level with its banks, and had, therefore, to remain at Palmerston last night. Traffic was almost completely suspended on the Dunedin and Clntba railway line, and the 11.30 train from Port Chalmers was delayed for nearly two hours at Burke’s brewery, in consequence of a landslip which took place there. A special train was sent down with a number of men to clear the line, and everything was put to rights with all possible despatch, but the train did not reach Dunedin until 1.3). Only three trains to port ran yesterday. The seven o’clock train to Olutfaa did not succeed in reaching Milton till 1.10, it having met with three stoppages on the way. The first of these was at the Chain Hill tunnel, where a landslip bad taken place; the next was at the Owhiro Swamp, al out four miles beyond Greytown; and the third at Milburn. As it could not get beyond Milton yesterday, instructions were s°nt by tdegraph for it to return to Dunedin. It acoordingly left Milton at 3,30, and reached town shortly after six o’clock. The seven o’clock train from the Clutha was stopped on the other side of the Tokomairiro River, in consequence of the ballasting being washed away. It is not certain whether the line will be open this morning or not, but it is probable that an engine will be sent out first for the purpose of ascertaining whether it is in a fit state for traffic. An occasional correspondent sends us the following telegrams from Tokomairiro yesterday : —lt rained incessantly in these parts since last night. . From Clarksville and a mile towards Milton the line was covered with water, and ballast washed away. The main South road was also covered, water being up to horses’ girths at the bridge over the south branch of the Tokomairiro river. The water rose to within two feet of the beams, and at the bridge over the Tokomairiro river to within two feet six of the beams. Nothing really serious the matter with line, but there is a loss of ballast which will take two days to repair. The system of drainage on this part of the line is perfect, but owing to the nature of the surrounding country floods cannot be avoided. Your correspondent lost A2 in betting that there would be some women folk in the coach. Things very wet. The contractors for the Tuapeka branch line have offered the services of the men in their employ to the Government to effect repairs. Concerning the state of the Clutha line, we learn from a gentleman who came to town from Clarksville by the train last evening, that the train left Tokomairiro at twenty minutes to four, and arrived in town at six o’clock, including twenty minutes’ stoppages on the road. The line from Tokomairiro to Dunedin was in very fair order. There are two places in a rather bad state bet we in the Tokomairiro and Milburn stations. Between Milburn station and Greytown the road is in splendid order, and the same is to be said of the part of it through the swamps at the Henley estate. From Greytown to Mosgiel there are a couple of places where its condition is rather indifferent. From Mosgiel to Abbotsford there was no impediment. The damage was caused in every instance by ballasting laid on the original surface of the ground being washed away. From a gentleman who made the journey by rail from Clutha to Toknmairiro yesterday, we learn that at the swamp there was about a foot of water on the line ; but though covered with water, it was in good order. Men were stationed along the line from Balclutha to Tokomairiro, to give intimation whether it was safe to proceed ; and the engineer and the guard took the extra precaution whenever they came to a place covered with water, of getting out, and going along and feeling the line. At Lovell’s Flat there was a strong stream of water running across the line, and on the Dunedin side of Lovell’s Flat station there was a pretty rapid current crossing the line from the Tuakitoto district. At Clarksville the water was over the Lawrence road, and there was a stream across the railway line. After the morning train had passed, the ballasting was washed away, so that the train could not return to Clutha. The damage done is not serious. At the North Bridge station the water was up to the bridge, and over the line. The ballasting being washed away, the train had to stop some distance from Milton station, and the passengers had to walk a few hundred yards along the sleepers.