THE FLOODS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1455, 15 October 1878, Page 3

THE FLOODS.

The settlers on the upper part of Kaiapoi Island have suffered very severely in the loss of land, stock, and crops, as well as damage to fencing by the late flood. The farm of Mr Edward Storer, one of the oldest residents, originally a block of 00 or 95 acres, has been reduced to under a dozen acres. The effects of the floods have been felt upon this farm for some time, but never so seriously as during the past few weeks. Mr Storer, in order to assist in decreasing the quantity of water which some years ago flowed in the main stream, down the north branch of the Waimakariri, consented to the drain or cutting being made, which was intended simply to relieve the overflow which spread over the north end of the island, the Ohoka district, and Kaiapoi town. When he did so it was never anticipated that the cutting would reach more than a chain in width. This work was done about twelve years ago ; and now the main river flows through it at the upper end half-a-mile in width. On Saturday and Sunday the river had reached to within a short distance of hia orchard and garden, the large plantation of gums and poplars having been partly carried away. A number of the largest trees were cut down, but an eye-witness describes the destructive force of the flood as quite appalling when several tons of earth, having been undermined, would give way, and with the trees upon it fall into the surging river. The water flooded most of the land, ruined much of his crops, and drowned some of Mr Storer’s cattle. Beyond this the flood has cut a series of trenches, which in another similar inundation will carry away what now remains, and a farm upon which there was a depth of at least 10ft. of rich alluvial soil, usually carrying crops of wheat over 60 bushels to the acre and oats 75 bushels per acre, will have been changed into a waste. Next to Mr Storer’s, Mr Richard Belcher’s land has been seriously attacked by the current. Ont of a total of 185 acres, he estimates that 74 have been clean swept away. The river, at a depth of 14ft. from the surface, reached a black sand stratum, and undermining the clay and soil above, the latter fell over in tons upon tons within the hour. Out of one forty-acre paddock he estimates that two are left. His fences were washed away, several of the sheep drowned, and the crops covered to a depth of three and four feet, the young grain being uprooted with the force of the current. The higher portion of Mr Belcher’s farm escaped. Efforts made by placing large trees covered with twitch and rubbish to serve as a groin were rendered futile by the violence of the water. The farm of Mr T. Ellis, about 200 acres, has sustained a loss by the recent .floods to the extent of about sixty acres, and a cutting has been forced by the river at the back along the flat of twenty chains in length. The loss of sheep was light, but the damage to fencing is very considerable. Lower down the cutting the water has kept up the same heavy scour on the farms on the south side which it usually does. The farm of Mr W. Lorrimer in this respect has been the greatest loser. Mr Merrin’s farm received some injury on the south side. At the bridge the materials for the new bridge were displaced, but the pile-driver and monkey were safe. During last flood this was not so well secured, and the engine had to be recovered some distance down stream, while the contractor’s men were for two or three days engaged probing in the river mud for the monkey. Upon the road on the flat there is a deposit of two feet of mud, and right across the track a totara tree, 60ft. long, and 3ft. in diameter at near the root, blocks the way. This tree is perfectly sound, its size and position also afford further proof of the swiftness and body of water which came down. The farms of Messrs Robert Clark, T. Stevenson, J. Reed, W. Wright, R. Rice, J. Stanton, B. Monk, W. Burgess, D. Tibbot and T. Pashby were all more or less inundated, the last-named escaping with the least amount of crop damaged, but in one of the paddocks between the north road and the river a semicircular current carried away a large lump of land, and the road will be in imminent danger should a second flood do a like amount of mischief. Messrs Clark, Reed, and Wright were in a worse position than on any previous flood. The water was in several of the houses; in those of Messrs Burgess and Tibbot to a depth of 14 inches. The culverts on the north road remain firm; the road itself is a mass of mud. The Waimakariri traffic bridge stood the test very well. The total quantity of land washed away on the island during recent floods is estimated at 250 acres. The farmers attribute the increase and velocity in the body of water compared with the floods of previous times, to the reclamation by the Waimakariri conservators of a large extent of country, over which the river flowed in flood time, and to the protective works raised for the protection of Christchurch, and the fact that there are no works on the north side to counteract the set of the current. The total loss, taking into account the value of land destroyed, crops injured, fences and stock carried away by late floods, may be computed at many thousands without taking into the calculation depreciation in value upon 2000 or 3000 acres of the garden of Canterbury, for nowhere is there richer land, or land which will produce a greater yield of grain or root crops. 'On Monday, in consequence of reports that the flood water threatened to flow from the south into the north channel, near Eyreton, Messrs R. Coup (chairman of the Eyreton Road Board), Wilson, Denton, Martin, Pairweather, and Wright (engineer to the Board), proceeded to the spot said to be threatened. Although there were slight evidences of overflow from the main river into the north branch, they were not sufficient to cause alarm. The main stream here is almost a mile in width, and towards the Eyreton side not more than a few inches in depth in time of flood. There is a bar of shingle across the north branch, and the flood was a foot or two below the level of it, so that the north branch is simply fed from the main stream by the filtration through a long shingle reach, which is at present in no danger of being removed. Messrs Coup and Wilson, on behalf of the Road Board, would have been prepared to recommend any necessary works to protect the Eyreton district if such a step had been considered necessary. During Monday the embankment at the east end of Charles street, Kaaipoi, which was undermined by the river on the previous night, was repaired and protected. It is now intended to erect a new bank along Jollie street, Cass street, through Hall street, thence along Sewell street, over Commercial road, and joining the protective works at Mr Blakiston’s property. A petition to the Mayor has been got up, asking for a public meeting to consider the river question and appointment of conservators under the Canterbury Rivers Act.