HEAVY FLOOD IN DUNEDIN.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1594, 29 March 1879, Page 3

HEAVY FLOOD IN DUNEDIN.

[Press Special Wire.] Dt/nejdik, March 28. Last evening tho fine weather which had prevailed for some days broke up, and a heavy south-westerly gale set in, accompanied by occasional squalls of rain. Still a heavy rainfall was not anticipated, and few persona were prepared this morning to find that a flood had occurred which had done enormous damage in various parts of the town. Heavy rain sot in shortly before twelve o'clock last night, and though it lasted for only a few hours, an immense body of water fell, coming down as if from a gigantic wator spout. It was generally thought that amplo facilitieb for carrying off storm water existed in this city, but last night appeared to show that the corporation drainage system is not in proper working order. Most probably the question will come up for argument in the law courts. The principal sufferers appear to bo the merchants and shopkeepers in Rattray and McLaggan streets, down which a perfect torrent of water flowed. The former street presented an extraordinary spectacle this morning, for from the Eobin Hood corner down to Bishop Moran's residence the kerbing and channelling on the aide of the street had been torn up by the force of the water and scattered all over the road, while from that point downwarda the channelling had at intervala of every few feet been scooped out and holea excavated, varying from two to five feet deep. The bouldera forming the pitching were carried down to the level part of the street, and with the accompanying earth and clay sediment from the hills, apread over its whole width. Meanwhile, not one of the gratings over the draina had been opened, and aa a natural consequence the water flooded the afreet and rushed into the cellars and ground floors of the establishments on either side. Mr E. K. Murray is one of the greatest sufferers in this part, and his loaa may roughly be estimated at about £7OO. His cellar was stocked with sugar, lemons, and general confectionery, and all is more or less damaged. Mr Murray states that when he got up thia morning, at about 7 o'clock, there was 4ft. of water in his cellar. Had the rain fallen twenty-four hours earlier tho damage would have been much greater, aa yesterday night aome loads of confectionery were removed from the cellar. In Mr A. Solomon's pawnahop, directly facing the culvert, there waa a lot of mud a couple of inches deep along the floor, and the dirt had actually got into a, Milner aafe. Mr A. Mercer estimates his loss at fully £3OO, while Mr Isaac has had some of his chemist's shop injured to the extent of £IOO. The water penetrated North and Scoular'a, and did an amount of damage to furniture which they have been unable at present to estimate. Another landslip took place behind Mr E. Pritchard's premises, and descending on tho roof of the smithy, wrecked it to such an extent that it has been impossible to resume work to-day. Along Maclaggan street alao there are many aufferera. It appeara that some obstacle at the head of that street turned the water out of its proper channel and across to the east side, where there were not sufficient means to carry it off, and it then flooded the promises along its course. In High street, Sargood, Son, and Ewen have about an acre of basement covered to a depth of nine inches. Until a survey has been made they c-nnot state their damage, but it is variously estimated at from £IO,OOO to £30,0001 In George stroet a great deal of damage has been inflicted, mainly-through the body of water which came down York place and Andrew street. Mesars Esther and Low, grocera, estimate their loss at about £IOOO. Mr Jas. Irvine, grocer, considers that his will exceed £4OO, and Mr A. Palmer, China merchant, loses fully £IOO. At Mr Hoodale's tannery a large quantity of leather and grindery haa been injured. Those above-mentioned are only a few of tho cases, aa it haa been impossible to ascertain anything like the full extent of the damage done throughout the city. It may, however, bo fairly set down at some scores of thousands of pounds.