FLOODS IN CANTERBURY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1175, 4 May 1872, Page 2

FLOODS IN CANTERBURY.

[Lytteltoit Times.] Al the northern rivers were in flood oh Saturday owing to the heavy rain on the ranges during Thursday and Friday, and it was evidently raining hard all day on Saturday also. The Waimakariri, to begin with, waa lower in +he south channel and in the Kaiapoi Island cutting than known for some time past, after such a rainfall as that of the last few days. Although it rained' without intermission for nearly eight days past, this branch does not appear to have been affected^ and the North road has been free from inundations ; while the north branch, which was very muddy all the week till Saturday, when the current reminded the inhabitants of the town of fnraier times, it was not only running down with great velocity, but the stream was more muddy than usual— of a tinge which caused several to remark that it was not merely swamp water or from the overflow of the Eyre, but that it had the appearance of a flood in. the river itself. Such we believe was really the case, and this, explanation will show why the south channel and the island cutting was not flooded as usual. Previous to reaching the cutting, it appears there is a tract of low land by which the North branch j can now flow over a farm of Mr J. Harper's and Mr M. Dixon's land into the. Little River Eyre, and it is the opinion of those best informed, that in this way the quantity of water passing through Kaiapoi on Saturday was augmented. As we stated some weeks since, it is more than probable, such being the case, that the north branch through Kaiapoi may again be Bubject to constant floods. At Cherry's ford, at 9 a.m., the river was noticed to rise two feet in about half-an-hour, and the ford was soon impassable, remaining so: all day, though the river i partly subsided about 3 p.m. The Eyre ford, on the Plaxton and Eyreton road, was also impassable. Prom the araonnt of water brought down to the Eyre and by the ; Oust, Mr A. Weir's Esjglesfield farm was covered in water, in many places' 1 - to a depth of four feet, and the ' adjacent farmers, we are sorry to say, came in for a share also. The Sneyd's corner embankment would have prevented a part of the island portion of Kaiapoi town from being inundated in case of a more serious overflow. Early in the day the stream was up to the foot of the embankment. The Oust, was exceedingly high, the quantity of 'water extending, on to what is termed the Oust flat was more than ever known before, except in "the great flood. At Oxford the rainfall was verysevere^ the gulches and drains, having all their work to drain away the torrents quickly enough. Coming to the Ashley, it was impas T sable, being out on the North road, about, twenty chains towards Nettleton and M'DonaldVwoel works at the Waikuku, and about twice that distance out on the opposite side towards Saltwater Creek, at 11 a.m. The water, therefore, must have risetf rapidly 'between that hour and four o'clock, when we were informed by a person who crossed the bridge at that, early hour;;, the. river at the; further end was barely up to his horse's hocks, when the cbach f roni Leithfield could not venture to cross. at eight o'clock. The bridge and earthwork approach on the northern end were intact at 11 a, in;, at which time the water was nearly up to the planking, but some time, afterwards the earthwork had given way with the force of the waters. tO Telegrams from further North, received on ' Saturday evening, : report that the rivers Waipara, Weka Creek, and Hurunui were high, and Sansom and Lee's coach had not reached Leithfield. This firm do not expect to be able to send any of the. mails beyond . ite' Aahley^fprward till 'to-day, whibh!, "as they have coaches •

on both sides they may be able to do by crossing the river by a boat. The mails and newspapers were returned to Kaiapoi on Saturday, as well as those for Eyreton in this direction, the Eyre and Waimakariri being both uufordable. The Drain road was partly flooded from the Girder bridge to the culvert at the elbow of the road which crosses the drain.