YESTERDAY’S FLOODS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1518, 28 December 1878, Page 3

YESTERDAY’S FLOODS.

THE RANGITATA. DAMAGE to the railway. Tho heavy nor’westcr of yesterday, with the heavy rains which had fallen in the hills on tho previous day and night, had the usual effect of stopping portions of tho railway traffic, and threatening to do still further damage. On Thursday night the railway authorities had expected something of tho kind .and had a man stationed at Rangitata Bridge North. Tho river here rose to a great height, but the first train from Ashburton South succeeded in passing safely. At nine o’clock, however, the general manager received a telegram stating that the bridge waa unsafe, and that the express would not bo able to cross. At that time the two southernmost piers on the North Kangita’a fridge were carried away, but the place that had been repaired at tho last flood stood well, though tho strain was very great, for the fresh was one of the heaviest known for a very long timo past. A gang of

men was at once despatched to the bridge with a view of making what repairs they could, although it will be impossible to make good the damage until the river has gone down. All goods traffic was at once suspended, and the passengers had to cross the bridge on foot. The mails were carried over by the same means. There is no possibility of the goods traffic being resumed until the bridge is thoroughly repaired—indeed, the full extent of the damage will not be known until today. Mr Back will proceed South this morning for the purpose of making full arrangements to repair the damage. In consequence of tho accident to the bridge tho South express train was an hour late last evening, and will probably bo so each evening until the repairs are effected. the eakaia. This river also rose very high, but did not interfere with the traffic. THE WAIMAKARIRI. The oft told tale of tho stoppage of this line by the rising of the Waimakariri, has to be narrated once more. On Friday, through tho wind and rain on the hills, the river was flooded, and overflowed into the famous Stewart’s Gully to tho interruption of traffic by train. Tho flood began to run down during the forenoon, and it was not deemed safe to take the mid-day trains on, tho passengers being conveyed over the section of the line affected by the current on trollies. Although expected to rise in volume during the afternoon, the flood went down without doing any very serious damage. The passengers by the evening trains were sent forward. The scour of the river was very serious on tho south approach of the railway bridge. LATER. The fresh in the Rangitata had not subsided up to the time of last advices. One of the piers has been all but carried away, and it is feared that the traffic for passengers will bo entirely interrupted, at least for a day. Mr Bach, the general manager, has taken such measures as will ensure the least possible delay in the through communication. Mr Lowe, the engineer of the railway, is on the spot with a gang of men, and will take such steps as will enable the ordinary traffic to be resumed at the earliest possible moment. THE WAIMAKARIRI. This river is still high in flood, and has cut out an entirely new channel about seven feet deep, coming nearly up to the piling in course of erection by the railway authorities. This afternoon Mr Back was unable to get omnibuses to run from Chaney’s Corner to Kaiapoi, and had to depend upon the local traps, Ac. This afternoon, however, he made arrangements with Mr Hayward to run his ’bus, and communication was kept open.