THE FLOODS IN THE GREY VALLEY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1264, 4 March 1872, Page 2

THE FLOODS IN THE GREY VALLEY.

The nriniDg districts in the Grey Yalley have suffered grievously, as may be gathered from the following extract* from the Grey River Argus of the 15th February:—

The miners throughout the Grey Valley have suffered seriously from the effect of the recent floods. From ail directions the details of <be damagedone are coming in, and the full extent of the injury will not he known for some time. The injuries to water-races in the elevated parts were partially repaired, when a second freshet came on Tuesday night and carried away all the newly-made work, causing nearly as much loss as the previous flood. The upper parts of the lead at Half-Ounce is filled with surface water, and as far down as Hafford and party's claim, the majority of the underground workings are swamped. The water races at Noble's and Duffer Creeks burst in all directions, and were otherwise injured by landslips. The flood at Callaghan and Sullivan Creeks carried away head and tail races,

flumes, and tail boxes, undermined Jarge trees, bringing them down, in some instances to the imminent danger of human life. Moonlight Cieek appear* to have suffered most. The creek workings, especially in the locality of the Gorge, are rather important, and every trace of the presence of a mining operation is carried away. An immense landslip took place above the middle township, and the effect was as singular as it was disastrous. Several acres (some say about twenty) of the range tumbled into the creek, and forming an impromptu dam blocked back the water for several minutes during the highest fime of the flood. The result was that when the creek had risen sufficiently high to burst its way through the obstruction, it came down like a bore carrying everything before it, The town was partly washed away, leaving the remaining portion in such a position that its removal will be necessary. ; In the Red Jacks and No Town dis- | triets the damage to water-races, paddocks, and dams, is incalculable. The farmers have suffered in a greater degree than the miners, because in numerous instances the very land which farmed I heir homesteads is destroyed, either by being cairied away bodily, or covered over with debris in such a manner as to render its abandonment necessaiy. The destruction in the lower parts of the Valley is deplorable, and the residents appear completely disr heai'teneb. And it is no wonder, for it is heartbreaking to see the result of years of toil and industry annihilated in a few hours. The people seem paralysed for the time, and the whole country seems as if an epidemic was passing over it, so that one can almost imagine the air filled with farewells to the dying, and mournings for the dead; a state of desolation which is said to be characteristic of plague-stricken conntries, The damage done in the farming districts is greater than at first appeared. When the wafer sub-ided people were thankful that the land remained, butj on close examination it has been found that hundreds of acres have been left in such a condition as to be wholly valueless. In some places the standing crops, were covered with several feet of sand x shingle, and driftwood. This latter contains immense logs, which it will not pay to remove, so that the land on which they have been, deposited will of necessity be abandoned. Regarding, these large snags and logs, it bas been remarked that nothing like them in dimensions can be seen in the forests on the surface now. An enormous trunk of an old tree has been left on one of the beaches near the 014 Ahaura. U is evidently an ancient voyagei, for its roots and upper forks are well waterworn. Jt measures, as it is, 160 feet in length, with a diameter of 18 feet about ten feet from the roots. The proportions of this monster must have been impxxsing when it stood upon its, native heath