SOUTHERN FLOODS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 70, 31 March 1913, Page 5

SOUTHERN FLOODS.

CANTEDBURY AND SOUTHLAND.

IMMENSE DAMAGE. (Per Press Association.) Christchurch, March 30. As the result of a nor’-wester on Thursday and Friday, the Waimakariri river on Saturday was in high flood. At 11 o’clock in the morning the north road from Chaney’s was impassable for cars or cycles, but traps could get along. About half a mile past tiie Empire bridge the water on tile road reached a depth of 2ft. 6in. The Clarkville district was flooded as far north as the school. In many places the water was up to the top ot the fences.

Dead sheep were floating down the main stream in large numbers. A good deal of the flooded area is in potatoes, which will be ruined if the water does not get away quickly. Several big crops of beaus are likely to be washed away.. The mailman from Kaiapoi could not get through to Coutt’s Island, on account of floating stacks of grain.

The river overflowed to about three miles past the old intake of the nlorth branch. The north branch and the Eyre are not flooded. At 2 o’clock the water had covered a paddock owned by Mr W. Tubman, and the North road, between Chaney’s and the Belfast Hotel, for a dis-j tanco of about half a mile, was two feet deep in water. The flood waters subsided by 5 o’clock.

Both expresses from the south were delayed for about two hours. Last night the ferry steamers were held back to -connect with the second express. THE RANG IT AT A IN FLOOD. RAKAIA RUNS A MILE WIDE. Ashburton, March 30. Warm rains on the hills last night melted the snow and caused one of the largest floods ever known in the Rangitata river. It started to riss about 5 o’clock last evening, and the flood was at its height at 7 o’clock this morning. Flour piles of the bj'idge (spanning the north branch of the river Were washed out, and the bridge was rendered unsafe for railway traffic, which in consequence has been completely disorganised. Trains are unable 1 to cross the bridge and passengers have to be transferred to .another train, on. reaching .. the, structure, and the luggage and mails trollied across. - I ' The river began to recede after 8 o’clocli this* morning, and by noon 1 had lowered three feet. The Rakaia river is also in heavy flood, andhis a magnificent sight, the* waters being a mile wide, and the stream running torrentially from bank to bank. There has been no damage done to the bridge so far. DAMAGE- AT THE HERMITAGE. Timaru, March 30. The damage to the Rangitata bridge by the flood on Saturday morning (said to be the highest for thirty years) dislocated the train traffic. Only passenger trains were run, and these were much delayed. The expresses from tire north and the Territorial trains were each four hours late here. \The passengers, mails and luggage crossed the river on the sheep bridges attached to the railway bridge. The trains meeting on this side had to run the locomotives backwards one way, with a light engine ahead; therefore progress was slow, and the exchange over one long narrow bridge took ' a long time.

The damage consists of four of the sight piles forming one pier at the centre of the north bridge being undermined or broken, and the other four leaned over under pressure of the current, making a kink in the line. This was straightened yesterday. A strong repair gang is at work, and it is hoped that the bridge will bo restored by to-morrow. One small subsidence took place in the permanent way on Bangitata Island, but was soon remedied.

The river rose during the night, and at 7.30 was eight feet above the normal level. It had gone down half that by the morning.

The Hermitage reports that the flood lias subsided there. The annexe was sbmewhat undermined, ana listed, and,the small outhouses have gone. The roads are much damaged, and the mails must be packed through for a few days. WAIMEA PLAINS INUNDATED. HOUSES WASHED AWAY. Wellington, March 30. The Mataura river has practically overflowed the Waimea Plains, doing an intense amount of damage to crops, stock, and other property. The river overflowed its banks at Gore, and the water is five feet deep in the main business part of the town. It is impossible to estimate the amount of the damage, and it will run into many thousands of pounds. At Mataura an eight-roomed house was washed away. Numbers of people are marooned in the paper mills and the higher parts of the township. In Wyndham there are four feet of water in the Main street. The Gore Ensign, the evening paper, was not able to publish, there being four feet of water in the machine room. There are only two boats in Gore, and these are being actively used in rescuing residents from the roofs of

houses and other perilous places. SfTeral telegraphists had gone to the office before the main flood came sweeping through the main street. They have been marooned there all day, and aro communicated with by telephone. One of the boats provided them with refreshments during the day. THREE HUNDRED HOUSE# SUBMERGED. GREAT LOSS OF SHEEP, CATTLE, AND HORSES. Gore, March 80. The damage to the town and district is estimated at over £200,000. At least 300 houses in Gore aloue are submerged, and all the business portion of the town is inundated. Thousands of sheep and hundreds of horses and cattle have been car-, ried down the river. The late harvest is lost, A torrent five feet deepHowed down the Main street all Saturday, and entered all the shops, doing damage in some cases as high as £2500. No loss of life is reported, but rescue parties had a hazardous time in a poor light. ' ' A relief committee has been formed to arrange for a supply of provisions, which are very short. *

HUNDREDS MAROONED. WYNDHAM COMPLETELY ISOLATED. At Gore on Saturday there were several hundred people marooned on the railway platform. They sent to Invercargill for provisions, and Police Inspector Norwood, with a party of assistants, took a motor lorry with a load of bread, reaching Gore at 11 o’clock on Saturday night after a most strenuous journey. Wyndham is completely cut - off, and it is feared that the traffic bridge over the Mataura river, close to the township, has been carried away. Numerous road and railway bridges in various parts of Southland hare been washed down the Mataura river. It is stated that the cries of cattle being swept down the Mataura river, near Gore, were heartrending To-day (Sunday) is beautiful, and the waters are everywhere receding. The flood is undoubtedly a record one, and the damage must amount to several hundred thousand pounds. The only two railway lines which have escaped are the Bluff and Seaward Bush.

£IOO,OOO DAMAGE AT GORE. WASHOUTS ON BJAILWAY. • * : -A' • MAN-BedWfflfflcr; -~• . \ Invercargill, March 3Q. V , Railway oomiqunicatiqn ’from Gore to the south has Wen cut off since late on Friday night, and it is doubt- £ m M |^,glQatoreji^|o-morrow. A large number of plate-glass windows have been broken. Hay-stacks brought down by the river landed in a monumental - mason’s yard and smashed seven ox eight moaiurients. Stock came down the river in great qxiantities, also sheaves and stacks. An estimate of the public private * damage in Gore alone i« £IOO,OOO. Reports from the Five Rivers distiict indicate that the flood there particularly bad, and iheaky loss of stock and crops resulted. On the Mataura river, near Gore, partitions have been erected, to prevent the bridge rushing away. Mr Dodds, a farmer at Mataura, has lost a thousand sheep. One hundred and fifty families at Mataura had to be lodged on the higher levels, and 105 people took refuge in the paper mills all day on Saturday, food being sent to them by means of a wire. The mills afie much damaged, estimated at over £IOOO. ' There is a big washout on the main line south of Mataura, the railway embankment and traffic road adjaf cent to the bridge being washed away for several chains.

The flood was also very extensive in the western districts, the reports indicating that there have been extensive washouts on the railway at Fairfax, Oporo, Makarewa and Win- U ton, and also north of Winton. Otautau reports that a man named ' Younger was drowned on. Saturday i when attempting to rescue some stock. One farmer at Makarewa estimates his loss at £6OO, and there are many I others who have suffered equally with him. -