YESTERDAY’S FLOODS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1390, 30 July 1878, Page 3

YESTERDAY’S FLOODS.

THE WAIMAKARIEI. “ Hero we are again,”—the return of nor’westers and the Waimakariri at its old vagaries, a fruitful source of anxiety as well ns annoyance, not only to the public travelling be the Northern Railway, but particularly to the settlers residing within the range of this troublesome river, and still the same uncontrolled erraticjtorrent! This character—when in Hood—it is ever likely to maintain until the conservancy of the whole river is placed under the management of one Board, who will force it into a deep channel, and by keeping the same clear of silt and shingle will entirely prevent a recurrence of the serious Hoods which periodically happen. No doubt it would take a term of years to accomplish this end, but on a well digested plan it is within the scope of such a Board to attain a greater security, and by decreasing the chances of damage to large public works or to the homesteads of industrious agriculturists (holding some of the best land in the colony), fairly recoup the outlay which the prosecution of a comprehensive scheme to conserve the river must, involve. Truly those interested have become apathetic, but at a time when the lands of the Canterbury district are increasing so rapidly in value, it is surely worth another effort to place a check upon this stream. The importance also of preserving from serious interruption the railway communication should furnish a further incentive towards attaining the object referred to. Possibly the matter may bo taken up as it ought to be, but it is quite plain that action should be begun soon. After each flood evidences are not wanting of the further incursions made, and that the river track which the inundation has scoured over invariably becomes waste. So that as years roll on thousands of acres of good land are allowed to become quite useless, being covered in flood time with inland lakes. On this occasion the flood has been as severely felt as ever. It was a large extent of country under crop that has been placed under water, the seed washed out and the labor of tillage rendered worthless. The railway line for a distance of one and a half miles, between Chainey’s corner and the Waimakariri Bridge, is so injured that it will occupy all the available workmen which the Government can put on the work some days to make the repairs. The weather on Saturday and Sanday was ominous enough to suggest the probability of a flood in the Waimakariri, but a message from the Bealey telegraph operator to Kuiapoi on Sunday evening, “ Heavy flood hero, rivers rising,” proved a warning. This was posted outside the office, and the postmaster forthwith communicated with the railway station master, who took stops to be in readiness for an emergency. The permanent way hands were called on, and were ready to relieve the water through the line. At 8 p.m. the first rush of the flood came down, and the river quickly rose till eleven o’clock, when it commenced to overflow. At the upper part of Kaiapoi Island it went over part of Mr R. Belcher’s farm, through 400 acres of Mr T. Ellis’ farm, compelling the immediate removal of cattle and sheep to safety. The flood reached its highest level about 4 a.m. on Monday, when the current in the south channel was higher than during any of the recent and in the island cutting, from the fact that the water reached the floor of bridge, it will be seen there|was also a river bed of no mean dimensions. The farms of Messrs Clark, Reid, and Wright were inundated, and the water, which came well up the now bridge at Smith’s Courtenay Arms Hotel, found an overflow and spread over the road between that bridge and Chainey’s corner, placing the country and roads under a perfect deluge. Leaving the bridge, on the north side part of the farms and crops of Messrs Stanton, Monk, Burgess, Baker, Barnes, Tibbot, Pashby, and others were covered to a depth of from 2in. to 3ft., the North road also being inundated. On the south side the overflow found an outlet in the direction over the low bank taken on a former occasion, through a low range of sand hills, in a line for Mrs Stewart’s farm and over the railway line. Hero the stream has scooped out a channel from five to six chains in width, with a depth varying from 4ft to 7ft. An immense body of water passed in this direction, spreading right and left along the line, and covering the metals to a depth of 2ft. It is at this place the Government intends to have the railway lino carried on 40ft. piling work over a distance of 400 ft. The work has been repeatedly urged, being first mooted about two years ago. Since then the traffic has been stopped about half a dozen times at this place, and very large sums of money have been expended in making the subsequent repairs. It is truly marvellous that the head of the engineering department has nob displayed his ability in placing the railway in a secure position above flood level long ere this. As a continuation of the proposed viaduct from this point in the direction of Chainey’s, the lino has recently been raised on an embankment several inches above the old level, and trains had begun to run on the new work. This, however, it is to be feared, being for the most part composed of sand, will beTeriously affected by the present flood, as the st one early on Monday morning allowed that if not totally submerged, the line was not safe for trains, the water so.ikage causing the rails to settle in many places along the “ sugar bank.” A large gang of men are in readiness to prosecute the temporary repairs, and if the zeal of the department, now awakened, is not allowed to wane, the public may expect that in a few months the interruptions will have been reduced. At the south railway bridge the river has made a clean breach behind the groin, and if the Government has not in hand a few additional iron girders for that bridge, they had better order them, as well as some piles, as soon as possible. Not many months will elapse before it will be desirable to add another bay or two at the south approach. At this portion of the river it can be seen how admirably the operations of of a dredge would lessen'the probable damage to the bridge, besides improving the water way. Twenty chains up stream a large silt bank has formed, which shunts the current from the north to the south side, and which, if removed by this plan, might entirely avoid the necessity of incurring a large expenditure in protecting the approach. In the town of Kaiapoi no danger was feared, the embankments rendering it secure. Opposite Mr Ellen’s woolworks a serious scour took place, and further action will have to betaken by the Town Council to avert mischief. The flood showed signs of rapid subsidence during the forenoon, and the volume kept steadily decreasing during the day. The mails and newspapers were sent forward from the train at Chainey’s, reaching Kaiapoi at eleven, and being brought on via the road in a high spring cart by Mr Weston. None of the passengers from the north trains were able to get on beyond this station, and the imprecations 1 leaped on the administration and its engineers wore

not only deep, but in some instances loud and expressive. It is probable arrangements will will be made to connect the line of passenger traffic from Chainoy’s to Kaiapoi by coach, and for a time travellers will bo required to put up with a minimum of comfort over three miles of the journey north at a maximum of charge. On receipt of intelligence of the damage done, a full staff of men was promptly sent up from Christchurch, and Messrs Lowe and Back, the engineer and general manager, wont up by a special train at a later hour, but no steps can be taken until the water has fallen. It is estimated that traffic will be stopped on the Northern line for at least a couple of days. As will be seen by advertisement, the mid-day train to and from Amberley will be discontinued until the damage is repaired. The morning and evening trains will run from each end as usual. THE HAKAIA. Fears are entertained that if the strong nor’westerly wind lasts, the Rakaia will overflow its banks, and stop railway communication south. The engineer and manager went up yesterday to inspect the Rakaia bridge, with a view to take such precautionary measures as they might deem necessary. THE ASHBURTON. On Sunday afternoon the Ashburton river, at the bridge, was hank full. The North terrace road, which is the nearest to the river on the north side, was overflowed in places for a distance of a mile, and the embankment put up last summer shows a breach of about one chain in width. THE WEST COAST ROAD. Mr Thos. Power, the driver of the West Coast coach, who was due in Christchurch on on Saturday night, arrived last evening by the night train. He reports that on arriving at the Waimakariri on Saturday he found it running from bank to bank, being nearly 1| miles wide. Ho returned to the Cass and made a fresh start on Sunday morning. On arriving at Broken River ho found that the floods had so swollen it that it was impassable, and he had again to return to the Cass. A start was again made on Monday morning, when the river was still very high, so much so that it came through the coach, saturating the mail bags. Mr Power left the Cass at 5 a.m., and it took him until the time of the last train leaving to reach Sheffield, owing to the flooded state of the creeks.