THE FLOODS IN HAWKE’S BAY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume 1, Issue 29, 22 February 1873, Page 2

THE FLOODS IN HAWKE’S BAY.

(Abridged from the H. B. Herald, 11th Feb.) TRe rain, which had been falling at interval 8 during all the past week, set in very heavily on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday morning most of the rivers had overflowed their banks, and a considerable extent of country was under water. The water in the Ngaruroro was not more than a foot from the planking of the bridge. One of the piles was found to have lost its hold on the ground, and to have become a source of danger, instead of support, to the whole structure. The stringers which held it to the studs were, therefore, wisely cut, and it was allowed to float down the river. The condition of the bridge, at present, appears to be anything but satisfactory. One or two other piles, besides that referred to, are loose. On Sunday morning, we hear, it was shaking, to such a degree as to create the impression among those who saw it that it might at any moment be swept down by the force of the current. The road, from the point where it leaves the beach to the sixth mile-post—near Messrs. Faulknor and Riddell’s smithy—was all, with the exception of a few yards on each side of the Waitangi Bridge, from two to three feet in water. The half-finished railway embankment was in parts covered. Wheelbarrows, tressels, &c., were floating about, and the laborers’ tents shewed their white peaks here and there above the waste of waters. We came across a party cruising about in a flat-bottomed boat, along Mr. Giffard’s fence, and learned from them that they had just been out stockhunting ! In the bar of the Shamrock Hotel the water reached a point from one foot to eighteen inches above the floor; Tareha’s Bridge, and the road for some distance beyond it, was very deep under water. In the earlier part of the day it was impossible to make the journey to or from the Meanee, without swimming at this point. Up to about 4 p.m., we hear, the Meanee bridge was quite secure, and there was no water near the township. It had found vent for itself through the breach made by the recent fresh in the Papakura embankment. There appeared to be a gooa deal of water about Taradale. The country between East and West Clive was not flooded, the mouth of the Tuki tuki having fortunately been much clearer, than it was dining the fresh which occurred some weeks ago. A considerable quantity of posts, rails, and other timber, the property of Mr. Price, who is engaged in the timber trade, in the Tarawara Bush, near Patangata, were washed out to sea by the TukitukL Of the posts alone about 9,000 have been lost. Mr. Price’s loss altogether amounts to about £6OO. Later. —The flood yesterday evening was fast subsiding. The water was still about a couple of feet deep, along the greater portion of the road between Tareha’s Bridge and Mr. Ashton’s hotel. The water, did not, at any tame during the flood, threaten the Meanee township. Back, water lay about the paddocks just h|yotid it, but not sufficient to do any miachief Taradale a considerable quantity flowed across the paddocks the property of Mr. Mwwy; Mr Hallasy, was obliged to leave his homestead.. Roseneath—Mr. Wood’s place—ms kept secure by the embankment which inrropudsit.

No stock, so far as we can learn, has been lost in any district.* One flock of 1000 had a rather narrow escape. They were a flock Which Mr. Sutherland, who has lately taken a run at Mohaka,had brought down on Friday last. On Saturday afternoon he was about to start with than. He thought better of it, however, and the sheep, we believe, are still secure at Clive. Though no cases of drowning have taken place, we have heard of one instance in which a settler was within a hairbreadth of thus terminating his career. Mr. Peddie, of the Taradale Hotel was riding along the road to Redclyffe, and had followed it down to the point where it enters the river, with the view, we believe, of warning some travellers, whom he saw attempting to cross from the other side, of the risk they would run in carrying out their intention, when his horse suddenly plunged down out of sight, and was swept from under him by the force of the current. Being a strong swimmer, he managed to reach the bank in safety, and his horse came out also safely lower down. *(Private reports having reached us that a great destruction of stock had taken place during this flood, we are glad to find it is not so.—Ed. P. B. Standard.)