STORMS IN THE SOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 16 June 1902, Page 2

STORMS IN THE SOUTH.

PICB PRESS ASSOCIATION. Napikb, June 14. Napier is at piese it in a state of isolation caused by the heaviest flood experienced here for years. R»in has fallen Bteadily since Thursday night,' an 1 thie, together wiUi a tremendously j ho ivy rainfall ia the high h ick c; uotry , md the tiioltidg of tbe enow on the j (ranges causd the rivers to rise Vtry , rapidly. All the low lying country hetwe< n Napier and Hastings on both sidisof tho line i-i under witer, aod there is no oominu i ,tti '•> either by road or ril with these di-tri:ts. A boat was taken out by tr-in tbis >ifternion manned by a numbe? of willing helpers to bring away of the settlers ia the Meinee «nd Papakura (lis ricts, many of whom ate in n ed of asflis'anc, th-ir houses being inundated. It is not known whether the railway 1 ne has -my damage, but i r . i< so RubnvHgtd ia places that it is impossible for trails 10 run. Advic'S from o .her sources sh'iw tl>a*i tbe rainfall h is be in exception illy heavy throughout the province, >\nd if the rain do-s not soon cease a repetition of ths di-astrous fl<>od of 1897 m <y h-tve to b) recorded. Napieb, Juni 15 The rain has niw altnos l ; cas id, and the fljod waters are rapidiy subsiding. SoaiH portion of the p -ruianen 1 . way was found to be washed away, but a gang of men W6re put on to-day, and railway cominunicitioT wi'l b • restored to-morrow, though mmil-t and piss Dg rs will have to ba trolli«d over a portion t f the liue. There h')g been a small washout on the Tar.idalo-road, which will prevent vehicle traffic in that direction for a day or two. The?e has beeo very little l as of stock. All the country pl-.ces are quite sife, Woodvilge, June 14.

Hejvy r.iin s is iu on fnuisd >y night and has continued wi'h >ut cessation since. The Minawa'u hiu flood and the low-lying levels in 0 mond'*, Ne'son's, and Bunny's properties are under water. Sattlc-rs are having an anxious time though they wer& able to remove all th-.ir stock to higher ground bufot'i the river ros* v>;ry high, being nearly level with the railway lin*. Mangtatui is over the road at Abraham aud sale yards. Tha whole trdn service is disorganised, the express from Wellington h iving arm ed at half-past seven. The pifsengers having transhipped to the down express at Mangimahoe, the latter then returned. Ail other trains between here nnd Masterton are cancell-d. A bis slip occurred on the MataWiwi hil', «nd the train from Dannevirke ran clean through i', LeitiJ covered with mud h'em engine t> van. Christchubch, June 14. Th- rivei s in North Canterbury ate io heavy flood, nnd yenGt-rdiy's tntils from not th ( l Waiau have not yet, arrived.