SERIOUS FLOODS DOWN COUNTRY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 69, 27 May 1870, Page 2

SERIOUS FLOODS DOWN COUNTRY.

The great topic of conversation, and tlie fruitful source of surmise during the week has been the non-arrival of the mails, and. the entire stoppage of

communication between Dunedin and this place. It will no doubt be within the recollection of our readers that during Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week there was a continuous downpour of rain, and doubts were entertained whether the coach due 011 the latter day from Clyde would be able to cross the Manuherikia river, i That river was, however, crossed in safety, and only a little after time the coach duly made its appearance. lieports, however, were rife that the Kycburn river was in a state of flood, and that it would not f be possible for the coach to reach Pigroot that night. Nothing daurted, Mr, Emmerton the driver, determined to judge for himself as to the true state of the river, intimating, before leaving, that, should he find the river dangerous, he should return to Nasebv for the night. Again, the Kyeb urn, though high, was crossed in safety, and Pigroot reached without mishap. The night, however, passed without news of the Dunedin coach with the mails, and when Saturday arrived without any authentic informa--tion it became manifest-, from the flooded state of the Shag river, that some interruption had occurred further down country. Mr. Emmerton, therefore, proceeded on horseback to Clyde, bringing with him on Monday night the down mails, and proceeded on the following morning to Pigroot, taking on with him the Dunedin mail from this place. Erom that time, to the time at which we write, the only information which lias reached us has been such as we do not feel justified in giving publicity to as authentic. It seems certain,however,thatthe YVaikouaitiand Pleasant rivers, as well as the Shag, have been in a state of unusual flood, and that the stoppage of communication, 4 and the non-arrival of the mails, may be attributed to the carrying away of the approaches to Waikouaiti bridge, and of those to another bridge in the neighborhood of Cherry farm. Still, we are unable to understand why the mail should not have been forwarded oh horseback. We do not wish to appear as evil prophets;, still we fear, should the reports which are current prove correct, that we shall yet be called upon to chronicle one of the most grievous floods which has yet taken place in the Province, with, a corresponding amount of injury both to private property and public works. [Since the above was in type the mail coach arrived from Dunedin, bringing the town mails.due on Saturday and Tuesday last, together with the March English mail. The coach proceeded almost immediately to the Dunstan,and we. feel sure that, if it be possible, the interrupted communication will be resumed to-day, as Mr. Emmerton will use every effort to set the deranged 'service once more in order. It wouldappear, from the files' before us, that the effects of the late flood were severely felt from Shag river downwards, and that the first impediment to the forward movement of the coach and mails was the breaking down of Carey's bridge at Blueskin. It would seem also that considerable injury has been done to the approaches to the viaduct to the swamp approaching Waikouaiti, and to those of Waikouaiti an<i Pleasant rivers, and that generally the damage has been unusual and severe. The files before us narrate these misfortunes so far as they were to hand When the last mail left Uuuedin, but as the mail due 011 Saturday will, no doubt, brjn°more and reliable accounts than are at present to hand, we think it unwise to grope in darkness, when in another day our readers will themselves be able to walk in light. ...