MANAWATU IN HIGH FLOOD.

Shannon News, 4 November 1924, Page 3

MANAWATU IN HIGH FLOOD.

)• .SHANNON BRIDGE ENDANGERED. I ONE SPAN COLLAPSES. | COUNTRYSIDE UNDER WATER, (ki'uni uui; ijiiuiinoii coin'simideni.j j /Vs a result 01 heavy rain during tlie past lew days m ihe Hawkes J.a\ uistnct, uie heaviest. flood rocordou lor tlie past £l) years lias tuli.cn piac t m wie' iVlanawutu river, un &aiuiday morning advice was received in ijiiannon Iro.m W’oouvUle that Hie j river was in llood and rising rapj.,- | Jy. A later message irom Palmersum North stated that tlie gauge at the ; Fitzherbert; Bridge was registering ji leet above, normal.

During Saturday- morning tlie flood commenced to reach Shannon and by seven o’clock in the evening a big volume of water was coming down, tlie water level being then only anom 18 inches from the. top oi the bank on the Moutoa side of the river ai the Shannon-Foxton bridge. The bridge at tills time was creaking badly and it could be seen ■that, it the heavy volume oi water continued lor any length oi time, the approach to the bridge from Shannon could not stand the strain and something wouiu give way, as the water was now travelling an a great pace and working into the weak place where previous erosion had taken place. During tlie night the. river still rose and settlers nau a most anxious time. ,

in the morning, as anticipated, it was lound tile approach to tile budge was gone and also the first span oi the midge. At 2 pan. on Sunday, the approach., which had been built up, was still being carried away, wmle the second span oi die bridge was in danger of being taken down.stream, caused by the large quantity oi debris that‘had been caught up. At tiiis time the whole bridge was snaking, baujy and- it was tlie general' opinion that this span wouiu also g°.

rile river was flowing bank high and iii several places overflowed, a large area 'at Moutoa was under, water as a yesult. From the Poplar Mill to tlie Whifcanui Mill tlie river was coining over the bank, and at die latter place the workers’ dwellings were surrounded, tlie water in some cases being up to Hie verun-uan-s. it also came l through at Mr W. Smith’s, flowing over Mr TregUks property. The largest quantity oi water appeared to be on tlie properties oi Dr. Wall and Mr OUrystall.

Nearer to Shannon the water went over the bank on to Mr R. Hook's property covering the whale section witn the exception of about an acre, where all his. stock were gathered. His. house, which is situated on a rise, wag surrounded by water, which at this time was. only about two, inches irom tile door. ‘Mr Spring’s property, which is nearby, was also affected most, qi it being under water.

At Buckley water lound it way over the small bank on Mr Richardson’s property, and Mr Carter who had some- sheep grazing in that locality had great difficulty. in rescuing them Since early morning tlie river lias held its" own, showing no signs of rising higher. '

On the Slianiion-Foxton road be--tween the former place and the bridge there was over 4ft of water. Ibe cause of tills was the stream that' flows into the river backing up. j

At Makerua there was about, 2ft Min of water on the road, and i a large area of land was under water, which had. found its way through the uncompleted portion of the protection banks where the floodgat.es have not yet been placed.

On account of the seriousness of the flood, the Shannon telephone exchange was kept open all day Sunday. lor the benefit of subscribers in the affected parts.