THE WAIMAKARIRI.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1441, 28 September 1878, Page 2

THE WAIMAKARIRI.

The flood in this river on Thursday gradually decreased in volume during the day till evening, when the river again rose in height, and near the overflow points was higher than during the first portion of the flood. One of the overflows swept across a portion of the farms on Kaiapoi Island, over the North road, and joined the main stream again north of the Waimakariri dray bridge. The coaches connecting with the trains from Chainey’s to Kaiapoi were not allowed to proceed from the last train, and several private vehicles returned, being unable to stem the water on the road. Our principal agent in the district determined to pass his daily letter however, and Mr Henderson of Kaiapoi succeeded, by dint of considerable perseverance and risk, in bringing it in. No attempt was made to forward the mails. At 8.30 p.m. the water on this road was about sft. in depth from Mr Burgess’ house to the bridge, and from the bridge towards Treleaveu’s was greatly flooded. The overflow only found one breach through the railway line-—viz., at the channel which it is intended to bridge. Here it rose to a height of sft. or 6ft. before four o’clock on Friday morning, and then gradually subsided. On Friday the traffic along the North road was renewed by six o’clock, and the water drained away all the day. Examining the railway line at noon, it was found that Mr Salmond, inspector of permanent way for that section, was engaged with a full gang and special ballast train repairing it as quickly as the water left it, and during to-day, if the metals and sleepers are again clear, the line will be fully ballasted for traffic. The embankment upon which a portion of the railway through the sand-hills has been raised remained intact, although the sand has not yet been encased in a cover- Hj ing of clay, as intended to be done at the H earliest moment. The full force of the current H was felt against the south approach of theH South Waimakariri railway bridge. It hadJP also made a clean breach behind the groin. As the latter is now quite useless, it is necessary that it should be removed, because during Friday it only aided the serious scour which necessitates the addition of a further length to the bridge. Furthermore, the current is directed down the stream in an angle against the protective works of the town of Kaiapoi at the east end of Charles street. So serious has this encroachment become that on Friday morning it was found a complete breach for a length of a chain had been made in the inner embankment protecting this portion of the borough. Several hundreds of tons of earth, covered with willows and flax, were swept away during the day, the direction of the current menacing Mr Ellen’s wool works and Mr Blakiston’s property, as well as threatening to soon reach the outer embankment, which was recently erected by the Town Council to control the overflow in the event of the former work giving way. It has been anticipated for some months that that this state of affairs would occur, but the Government has turned a deaf ear to the charmer, charm he neyer so wisely, and as good as refused to remove the cause—the groin—or render any assistance whatever. A clump of willows on an opposite promontory' shunted the current away for a time, blit yesterday this hope gayq way. In reference to complaint y made by many persons about the non-forwarding of the mails North and South of Kaiapoi on Thursday evening, it may be said that the postmaster at Kaiapoi did his best to send them on, but, as explained, he was not allowed to incur any expense. By the payment of the small sum of 20s the mails could have been forwarded, and we question very much if the postal authorities at head-quarters are the persons to decide whether the mails from the whole of Northern Canterbury are not worth a larger snm than that. A strong remonstrance on this subject, it is said, will be made to the Postmaster-General. On Thursday morning the mails North were conveyed gratuitously from Chainey’s to Kaiapoi, and it has not been an uncommon occurrence for the same thing to happen in times past. in regard to the postal and railway department it is evident that if the control and management of matters on emergencies of i this kind was left to the wiser discretion of ft local officers in charge, the public would soon I witness the advantage over the red tape I system in vogue in both these departments. ■