THE WEATHER.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 324, 11 February 1868, Page 3

THE WEATHER.

Storms and floods seem to have been pretty general all over the colony lately. In Canterbury we find tha!; Christchurch and the surrounding country has been flooded to an unexpected and unprecedented extent on the 4th inst., during which the Post-office was from three to four feet under water, whilst the flow from near the Government foot bridge had made its way up Gloucester- street, and, passing round Luck and Clark's office, had effected a junction with that proceeding from the Market-place. Mr Hargraves' office was the highest point readied in Cathedral square, and Dr. Deamer's residence the highest in Armagh street. Cabs were plying to and fro at the Colombostreet bridge the greater portion of the night, and we may mention that one man in attempting to cross it in the earlier part of the evening was very nearly drowned. The approach on the city side had been partially washed away, and the man in question unfortunately stepped into the hole thus formed. Fortumitely, plenty of willing hands were ready to help him, The damage done in the surrounding country has been wide spread and ruinous. Near Fendaltown, where the river Avon forms a sort of basin by being backed up with flax and toi-toi, the water rose yesterday morning upwards of four feet in a quarter of an hour, A large quantity of land in the neighborhood was completely flooded, Mr Barry alone losing between 300 and 400 sheep, besides a number of cattle, At the Selwyn, the new bridge — Mr Doyne's costly structure's a complete wreck, and about 200 yards of the embankment on this side of the river has also been washed away. The piling put up since the former flood remains good. The river near the coal track is reported to be higher than known for the past four-, teen years. The whole bed, between one and two miles wide, is one she.et of water, but there is no news of any over-flow, We learn that at Fendaltown Mr Boag has had 300 sheep sheep drowned, and 300 acres under crop totally destroyed by the flood. We hear — although we cannot vouch for the truth of the statement — that 3000 sheep, the property of Captain Westenra, have been drowned. The whole of the rich agricultural district between the rivers Waimakarira and the A.shley was, under water, and the damage done to the crops and houses is something immense, the flood having be.en higher than any winch has previously occurred in the district. The swing bridge at ICaipoi, and somewhat other siiuilar. structures, have been carried away. At Nelson the same storm committed great havoc. The rain poured down in torrents on the 3rd and 4th inst, accompanied by much thunder, and lightning, and our contemporaries describe the storm a? the most severe which has visited^ Nelson for many yeara. The lower ends of Colling wood and^ Bridge streets were under water, while two water-spouts, were seen in the vicinity. At Dvi edin the storm was equally severe — Rfttray and Maclaggan streets having bee l flooded to an extent unknown since 1862 ; being simply the bed of a river. >