SYDNEY FLOODS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1925, Page 1

SYDNEY FLOODS.

IUHT£AI>iM’I ANO >’• Z. CAULS ASSOCIATION, HUH HAST OX H KCOltf). .SYDNEY. A Lay 28. The Hood in the Queatiboyan district i.s the highest on record. Several people are reported missing. Two motorists, attempting to force a passage, over a Hooded creek, were washed away and drowned. Fariy on Tuesday evening the water began to encroach uii the .streets, and it continued to rise rapidly throughout the night. Many residents wciy driven ITotr. Hn ir homes, and spent a miserable night in tho open. A drifting tree smashed the electric |j diting wires, and-plunged the town into darkness, adding to the other miseries and dangers of the. situation.

later, a suspension bridge spanning lies river, which heavy masses cl drilling timber, wreckage, and dead animals had weakened was carried away bodily. Soul;, houses collapsed, and others were Molded to a depth of from ten to twelve feet.

The water tree so (prickly that many families who retired at night were mai'oened before they were aware of their danger, ami had to lie rescued in their night attire, Rescue work proceeded throughout the night, which a big depth <>l water and Moating d'-hri- made dangerous. , oitpl,. of re-cuing 'airs were swamjed i„ Hie rushing Hood, and the. inmates re swept nwa\ . hut were saved. Numbers ol others had uariov csit is estimated one hundred and fifty families' in Queaube.van district arc rendered homeless, and are sheltering In ihe public buildings and elsewhere. Public relief has been arranged. Now that the llood waters are receding. the in' - a presellt- a .sorry spectacle Tiie street- are di on in mml. and htI,in ile’iri-. The low lying lands ~1,01 a tbe river lor many miles ale a Mt'.i i»i’ water. The tliUna.Lfi' i-s very M*ri Oll>. DIFFK.TI.T RESCUE, AYOBK. SYDNEY. .May 28. Six boats have been sent to Wagga, where the people are- working at fever heat to minimise the clfoet ot the coining llood. In iespouse to a call from the Mayor, volunteers are assisting tin- residents in the lower area.-, to remove their hflunjlin#*. Others arc; eroctinsc barriers aruiuu their house**. Ai re.-ciiers took t'vo uicii from the mol of a Mibmerged bouse, mul aiieih'T l rofll a inLi jlnaiine in the rive r. The railway department, states that mile- of the railway are still under wain the Hooded areas, and there ale numerous washaways. Ihe services aie dislocated. The wealhiT i- still unsettled over lhe .southern districts with more rain blit excepting where the upper water of the river have -till to arrive. Iho Moods generally aiv subsiding. Sydney so far has escaped the storm, mul it is now Imped that it will work il-elf out oil the Southern (Mast.

EI.LOTIONS HINDERED. SYDNEY. .May 28

Alanv of tile political candidates are having a bad time, a.- limy are much hampered by th" Mo-de.l -tale of the country, which "01 a!.-o prove ■' hindrance to Saturday's polling, unless -pt'oial provisions sire huklo i«»r in 4 ro'Miod M‘ttH'i I ' 4 to volt*.

(her nineteen iiirhos <il rain In** men iveurded ;il .Muriiya between Suiiti:iv ;I„; 1 VCslei llaV. Til..- t..'Wl-lli|> is I’meded :m ,l f 1-1,111 \vi.l.-~i.r- ad links ill.- iiinnh i,| 1,1 I,■ r. ecued in boat - at ,j.|. s,*, it,wen- taken t r.mi tlio

Many i attl• - an,! lior<-os lav,' 'men swept away, an,l crops have In'll dov;. *;i ll ■,l. i-'ihir valuable racehorses. „( i)n> Criterion Hotel woru 1 1 >■( >ll ii l safely I liruugh the swirling waters I>y tin- trainer. Alone: tin- lower reaches of Bhual I, aeon Uiver, a. timely warning enabled 1|,,, farmers to remove their stork to lowlier land l.rfore l!.e v.0r.4 of tlm Hood arrive,l. kill widespread damage ,|i, done lo tlm maize ami green crops. MlT{Ul'\lHli>CK.K'.S UITOIM) IIIBK. SYDXKY, -May -’B. Telegraphic coniuiu ideations witlt tlio 11, ( aleil districts continues disarranged, and. owing 1" such wide areas being submerged. rt'i’air work is a diflienlt undertaking. Cmulagai reports tin- biggest Hood for tliirty years. Tlm river is thirty leei akoVe tile snmnier level. 'I lie i oiiiiln - round akonfc is a sea of water, wliieli lias invaded many lonises to sueli a d<‘|itl, that the furniture is Homin'.' about. A nuinker of people have had to he resent'd ky boats. Many horses, cuttle and pit's lime keen drowned, and ilie hollies are drifting down the river, with tons of hay, swept off tlm paddocks. .Many acres of maize crops, just i-.-adv for pulling. were swept away. The damage i' reported to ho enormous, pile tlood is now receding there. 'llie latest in-ws from Wagga states tlnit the river i< al its highest since lypp MU ] ji j- still rising, with a big ii dv id water vet to collie down, lie position is regarded as very serious.

An urgent request Inis been received at Svdilev lo send tlood koats. Already many NVagga district residents have removed to high ground, in preparation for the wor.-t. Ail the townships along the Mtirriinihidgeo Uiver have heeii warned to prepare for big lined', when tin- water ir-m higher roaches conic down, wit.: the next lew days. positions. deceived this dav at 9 a.m.) SYDXKY. May -’9. At Cundagai two men were surrounded liy the lhiods. One swam a horse ashore while the other was washed d'wo others were curried away on the top of a hay stack and one swam safely while the other was rescued I rum his perilous perch as he drifted down the river.

Communication between the township of Brail wood and Arabian was cut otf and the extent of the damage there Is unknown.