Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 492, 22 July 1857, Page 4

Colonial.

NEW SOUTH WALES. We abridge the following account of the disastrous floods in the Hunter district, from the ' Maifcland Mercury/ June 30. The unexampled wet season, of 1856-7 has been wound up in the Hunter district by the highest flood that has been known for twentyfive years. The present flood, it is universally stated by old residents, exceeds the great flood of 1840, but is less than that of 1532 by at least two or three feet, opinions varying as to the exact difference. In one particular, its excessive rapid rise, the pi'esent flood excels all previous ones. The 1851 flood rose in about two days, but this leached its height in less than twenty-four hours ; commencing at one or two feet above high water mark at five o'clock on Wednesday morning, June 18, and reaching1 twenty-six feet if not twenty-seven feet, before five o'clock on Thursday morning. Our own estimate is twenty-six feet, but others estimate •it at twenty-seven feet. In yet another particular also the present flood is unprecedented— the current has been vastly more rapid and more sustained than in any previous case we can hear of. A very great quantity of large timber has also been brought down on this occasion, much exceeding, after the first two hours of rise, the ordinary flood timber. We note these particulars, paitly to explain the disasters that have been occasioned, and partly as a matter of local history. We are quite unable to account for this tremendous flood. The rain that fell here on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday was heavy and continuous, but never before has a day's ram, _ or at most, a day and a-half's rain occasioned even a high fresh. At Singleton, some time on Tuesday, we are informed, the river was crossed by a horseman; and, if that is true, it appears utterly impossible that the upcountiy water can have reached Maitland during Wednesday. Only one mode of accounting for this sudden and excessive flood seems sufficient —the fall of a water-spout somewhere in the hills between Maitland and Singleton. Nearly every old resident here,.whom we have consulted, seems to think some such visitation of Grod must have fallen on us, to cause this flood. If this is the real explanation, the supposed site of the fall is somewhere on the range of hills porth of the Hunter, between the Hunter and the Patterson, because both rose in the same unaccountable . and terrible manner—the Patterson, indeed, rather the fastest. Although yesterday morning at daybreak the glad news, spread through the town, that " the river was falling," and it continued.falling for a time, a very large portion of West Maitland has-been under water—li tie less than one-half of its houses we should think being inundated more or less. A few words will explain this to our distant readers. The immediate ( banks of the river, on both sides;'and the banks of every creek runing into it also (so far as we know them), are higher than the alluvial land extend-

ing inwards from ■ the banks. This is a peculiarity we believe characteristic of most alluvial countries hi which flood waters are still from, time to time adding fresh deposits of soil. West Maitland originally consisted mainly of one street, High-street, being* indeed the original high road through the district, selected because it was the highest and driest line offering through a series of swamps and lagoons. As the town increases in population, the alluvial lands extending from the bank are being built upon, and in some cases absolute hollows or valleys are now partially filled with houses. Any flood, therefore, that overtops the bank of the river in or close to West Maitland, pours water downwards on this alluvial land, and, if the flood continues at its height long enough, the whole of this lower land would necessarily be covered until the river level was attained by the water. The familiar terms used here to describe such a flooding is " backwater." As we mentioned on a previous occasion, the river begins to overflow at about 20 feet rise, at low points, aud every foot of additional rise afterwards adds additional points where it can overflow. Our readers will see, therefore, that at twenty six feet rise the river may have many such points of overflow open to its destructive career: and they will observe that the extraordinary suddenness of the rise and the strength of the current on this occasion have added immensely to the devastating effect.

Before it was quite dark on Wednesday afternoon the first point of our overflow' in West Maitland was reached, and the water began to pour into the low lands at the south side of the Horse Shoe Bend. Still, althoxigh many persons alarmed at the rapidity of the rise, and the rapidity of the current, were even then removing, many others, relying on the very little rain that had fallen, ond on good reports from Singleton, refused to move, even when urged to do so. Still the water rose and rose, and all night long drays and boats, were busily occupied removing the inhabitants from this part of the town to other and higher portions, to the houses of their friends. A deep debt of gratitude is due to the young men of the town, who all night long, in boats or ou shore, were earnestly assisting in saving and helping fugitives flying from the spreading waters. In this part of the town, however, very little damage is done to the houses, there being no current there after the level of the river was once attained; and damaged furniture and household goods, and ruined fences and gardens, will be the principal loss—a heavy one, beyond doubt, to many poor persons. A great deal of damage has been done by the united back-water streams to the inhabitants of the southern parts of West Maitland. Very many houses were actually inundated, and from others the inhabitants left, fearing how far the inundation might extend. Great loss of garden, lucerne, potato, and corn grounds will also be sustained, and the measure of loss indeed will be the period of time the water remains on the ground, for if it remains long everything will be destroyed. Many fences received much injury from the force of the current, and some loss in goods was sustained in some cases, but not, we believe, very much. The principal injury to houses, beyond the thoroughly wetting them through, appears likely to occur near the opening of the road at the Railway Stores, the strong current of the river there being calculated to undermine them. But in a great number of cases we fear we shall hear of heavy losses, not to say ruinous, by poor persons, from the loss of furniture and household goods and stores. The people of Maitland generally have always shown a strong spirit of humanity and of succour to the distressed, and never was the feeling more manifest than it is at this moment. The houses in the untouched parts of the town are literally crowded with refugees from the terrors of the flood. Several persons on Wednesday night threw their houses or stores open as houses of accommodation all night, and we could at once name several, but that it would appear an injustice to the many who did likewise without our happening to hear of it. High-street that night and during Thursday presented a singular and touching scene of fugitive's hurrying to places of refuge, and to the houses of their friends. Among others, the Hospital authorities threw open the unoccupied wards of that institution as a refuge. And we hear that in a similar way nearly every house in the vicinity for miles round, which happens, from its site or its st3-le of building, to afford a safe refuge, has been similarly filled by flood refugees. In the town only one life was lost. On Thursday three young men in a boat, engaged in assisting the distressed, had their boat upset nearly at the rear of the Rose Inn, whether, from getting foul of the branches of willow tree, or from getting broadside on to the strong current, we could not learn with certainty. Of the three, two succeeded in clambering iuto the branches of a large willow, at the rear of Mr. Walker's, but the third was swept down the stream, apparently clinging to the boat, and although his arm was seen above the water, he has not been recovered, and there remains scarcely a doubt but that he was speedily drowned. The two others were saved by a boat manned by five brave men, after considerable difficulty, the boat being twice very nearly swamped, owing to the branches catching in its way. On Wednesday evening considerable danger occurred to more than one person at the rear of Messrs. Cohen & Co.'s stores, principally while engaged in driving out some horses from inundated stables, • but happily no losu of life occurred.

From the country around our accounts are yet very imperfect. Of course s with the river

at that fearful height for so long a period, an immense overflow of water took place at every possible point. From the waters which passed up Wallis's Creek the whole of the flat lands on Loath Pai-k, Daworth, Hungerford's Swamps, and no doubt miles further up were inundated. So rapid was the inundation that a great many persons were surrounded by water, and cut off from all hope of escape. Strenuous efforts were, however, made by the police in this direction and others, under the orders of major Crummer and by numerous private persons, of whom Mr. 11. G. Yeomans was particularly earnest, in the direction of Louth Park. On Thursday, Mr. Garvin, the chief constable, Mr. Yeomans, and others, in boats rescued a number of persons (forty or more, we believe), on Louth Park farms, from stacks, houses, &c, surrounded by water. Mr. Walsh's house, at Yarrabong, we hear has sixty fugitives inmates. As far as we have yet heard, no loss of life occurred in this direction. But the losses of the farmers, in crops, in goods, and in small stock must be enormous, and we fear in many cases ruinous.The river rose at Morpeth, according to one observer, to 10 feet, and according to another to 14 feet 9 inches above high water mark—2 feet higher than at the flood in 1840, when the Victoria was launched, and within 5 feet of the height of 1832. It rose rapidly on Wednesday until 6 £ .m. .From 6 to 10 it only rose 6 inches; but from 10 till half-past 3 on Thursday morning it rose 3 feet. From that time till 6 a.m. it rose 8 inches, and continued rising through the day. It began to recede about 8 p.m., sinking 2 inches by 10 o'clock. By 10 o'clock on Friday it had. sunk 9 inches, and between that time and 3 o'clock it )sunk 2 inches more or thereabouts. Some say it fell altogether 15 inches. The principal rise appears to have taken place from about 2 till 4 on Thursday morning. A rough estimate of the loss sustained on the wharves alone at Morpeth,sets down the amount at £15,000. The 'Maitlaud Mercury' of the 23rd, publishes the following additional particulars : — Continuing our account of the devastating flood from our last, we may commence by narrating the progress of the rise and fall. Although the river fell a few inches, as previously reported, on Fi'iday morning, and every one nearly was congratulating his neighbour on the glad tidings, itrose again slowly all Friday afternoon and evening, and till past midnight, when it had reached about an inch higher than its previous highest mark on Thursday. Eemaining stationary for some time it commenced falling slowly- and by daybreak on Satm-day a fall of an inch or two was perceptible. It fell that day slowly, perhaps nearly a foot by sundown, but the current being manifestly less people began to hope again. By Sunday morning it had fallen two or three feet, and has ever since fallen pretty steadily, making a total fall by last evening of say eight feet.