THE FLOOD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1163, 25 October 1913, Page 3

THE FLOOD.

The continued heavy downpour of rain throughout the distiict early this week has caused the rivers to be flooded. The flood waters came down very quickly as on Thursday evening the Manawatu river at Moutoa had risen very little, but at about midnight it was a rushing torrent and from then on it rose rapidly and broke over the banks tn the upper reaches. It was then feared that the immediate district was to experience one of tbe heaviest floods yet recorded, but fortunately this was not so, tbe river showing signs last night of subsiding slightly. Reports this morning from Moutoa indicate that the river is now falling fairly rapidly. The waters were over the road near Elkins’ Corner, and the lower swamplands were also inundated. The Shannon road on the Foxton side of the bridge was free from water, but on the Shannon side there was a depth of up to four feet, and the mails and passengers had’to be taken in a cart from Shannon to the bridge, where they were transhipped to the motor car. The flaxmills in the Moutoa district are all stopped, iu most cases through tbe water being over the banks, and also on account of the dirty state of the river. -The water in the swamps will prevent flax-cutting operations for some days, but it is anticipated that the cessation of work will in no case extend over a week. A start will not be made on Monday, Labour Day, but some of the hope to commence again on Tues day morning. The local mills, with one or two exceptions, have kept on stripping, but the river is very dirty, and on this account some have considered it wise, in the interests of the colour of the fibre, to cease stripping until the water used lor washing the fibre, iscleauer. The volume of water that has found its way into the Moutoa swamp is not very great, and it is not anticipated that any serious loss of time to cutters will take place on this account. Reports from the Kairauga district state that the flood in that locality is the heaviest experienced for sixteen years. The water comes from the Oroua river, which has completely broken over its banks in several places. The flaxmillers will be very serious losers, as their bleaching paddocks are completely inundated, which will result in a very heavy loss of fibre. The vtfater, after breaking over the banks of the Oroua river, came over the laud with great rapidity, and there was little chance of doing anything to save the fibre iu the paddocks. A very seiious loss of stock is also reported. One farmer near Karere, when mustering his sheep, was overtaken by the incoming water, and dozens of animals were drowned. Practically the whole countryside iu this locality is a sheet of water. SLIPS ON MAIN TRUNK LINE. There are several large slips on the Main Trunkline, and northern traffic above Mangaweka was suspended shortly after 4 o’clock on Thursday afternoon. A special left Hunterville with passengers for Mangaweka at 6 o'clock, and when about to enter the tunnel south of Mangaweka, was struck by a tremendous slip, which derailed the 80-ton engine and one car. Tbe passengers were all thrown into a heap. They were afterwards taken into Mangaweka and billeted for the night. The Main Trunk traffic is suspended, but it is hoped that tbe through service will be established again on Tuesday.