Floods in the South.

Manawatu Herald, 5 March 1904, Page 3

Floods in the South.

CROPS AND STOCK LOST,

Steady rain for thirty hours has caused floods all over the Southland district, and the railways have suffered at old-time weak spots. At Pukerau, on the north line, Eyre Creek on the Kingston branch, Fairfax on the Nightcaps line, and at Colac, towards Orepuki, the extent of the damage is as yet unknown, as the rain is still falling. The trains on all these lines have been greatly delayed, and passengers from the lake to the north had to put up at Gore on Thursday night. Stooks and dead sheep are being carried down the Mataura river. The express from 1 junedin to Invercargill could not get through on Thursday night. BALCLUTHA UNDER WATER. At Balclutha the river rose eleven feet jflx inches, the backwater flooding several of the houses in the lower part of the town. Several families had to be removed. The. low-lying lanij was a sheet of water. All stock has been removed to higher ground. The river was begipning to come over the low portion of the embankment, but the Mayor put a gang to work with sandbags and stopped the water. The town is now considered safe. At Lawrence the water was two feet deep in Ross Place, the principal street, and entered some of the business places Rich will suffer. Settlers from Balclutha downwards will be heavy losers. At Puerua the river is in the highest flood known. In Stirling, eight miles from Balclutha, water is three feet deep in th» township and residents have been removed to the high ground. Further south a considerable part of the Tokomiro plain is under water, and settlers will lose heavily by having crops washed away. Hundreds of rabbits were to be seen drowned, and passengers on the railway saw in some places rabbits perched in trees. Four and two-fifths inches of rain fell.