SERIOUS FLOODS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2187, 22 March 1880, Page 2

SERIOUS FLOODS.

[By Wellixutox, March 22. — Heavy rains have caused several slips on the Wellington-Feat hersi one railway, which will obstruct the traffic For three or four days. In some places embankments are carried entirely away which will take a considerable time to repair. Floods have occurred in the Hutc river, but no damage lias yet been clone. In Palmerston Aorth most disastrous floods occurred between Saturday and midday yesterday, and damage amounting to thousands of pounds has been done. The Man a wain river at Palmerston rose seven Feet in Four hours, overflowed the banks and spread over the country. The Maoris at Hokuwhau had to be taken aWciy in canoes. Ghcnstone’s farm was surrounded with water, which rose six inches over the verandah. The inmates, four men and women, were imprisoned until live last evening, when a boat was launched, and after some dil'flculty they were rescued and conveyed to the Herbert side. There is six feet of water on the Gorge road. The inmates are being taken out in boats. On the Foxtou road all the settlers were flooded out. The rails arc washed away, and live feet of water is covering the line between Jockey town and Otarua bridges. On Saturday night a settler named Sherman attempted to escape with his wife and children in a trap. As they were going along the road a log struck the wheel and turned the trap over. His wife was swept away, and only with groat difficulty he saved her, hut a little girl of two years was drowned. The body was recovered this morning. The destruction oF property is something immense. The Maoris say they have seen nothing like it for 20 years. The flood has gone down considerably since morning, but it is now raining hard, and Tears of a renewal are entertained.