HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 171, 10 July 1908, Page 2

HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODS.

'J. Alii HI PLAIXS UINWEU AVA Itll. SKl*m;ith LKAVK T1JEII! iroSiBS. •STOCK SW'l.\l.\]lN(i AISOI.T. TP.ATXS SXOWHI) UP ON OTA(,u CKXTIiAL. By IVlogi-aph.-Prcss Association. Dunedin. I,a si. Xight. Tlie whole of the Taieri Plains' from flerwiek to Otakin, is chip sheet, of water. A number of people had to leave their homes, ami stock is swimming about in the paddocks. A train which left Clyde yesterday got embedded ill snow on the top ol a. liill between Uongii liidge and Wedder-' burn, and a goods Lrain from Ranfurly was sent to try and release her, with the result that Mil trams are now snowed in.

WAT EH UP TO FlF'l'EF\ r FiiET DEEP SETTLEHS' PEUILOIS EXPERIENCES. POLICE SENT I'KO.U DCNEDLY. skkioi:s losses oe stock.. WASHOUTS OX THE KAILWAi" LINKS. IMMENSE S.XoW FALLS. KAiIAVAY TKAFFIC STILL SEIUOL'SJA' IXTEKRUPXED. Dtiuediii, Last Xiglit. The weather began to clear at 10 a.m. The Taieri Plain was Hooded from Lake Waihola to within two .miles of Mosgiel, ■ the water being up lo loft, deep. Six families al Jleadowbuuk. namely, .Murray, Kirklaml, Shawl, Fowler, Anderson, and Gamble, were isolated. Murray's house was Hooded, the family for hours taking refuge in a hayloft. The animals ill the byres below were standing up to their bellies in water.

Ureal assistance was lent by Constable Walton. This morning, in response to a wire, Sub-Inspector O'Jirieu, two detectives. anil two poliot* left with a boat belonging to the tug Plucky for Jlosgicl by special train. The rescue work proceeded all day. Xo lives were lost. Alexander Murray lost II!) sheep, !) pigs, and some horses and cattle. William Shand has lost many sheep, 480 hoggets. *1(1 head of cattle, and some horses. Many other residents can see stock splashing about on islands and are unable, till Ihe water subsides, to estimate their loss. There were eight large washouts in the On train raihvav line. Only the root of (lladliebl station was visible. The riverside (lag-station was washed completely away. Oulrnm". Itmviek.Allanlon. and Otakia were all Hooded, lioth banks ol the Taicri river burst in several places, but the water is slowly subsiding. West Tnieri lias been Hooded for the first time for thirty years. The water cannot, get away. The Allanton bridge is linn, though it is level with the llood. Two bridges across the Silverstreain were demolished. The main road at Otakia is submerged and almost impassable.

Snow smashed tlie lines between Xaseby and Wnilicnio and X'aseby and Hyde,' but the Telegraph Depurtiuciit was able to keep in touch with X.'aso'by hv means of the wire to Lawrence and Clyde.

At Xaseby there is still about foulfeet of snow on the ground, and business is almost entirely suspended. At St. Batlian's there is about three

feet of snow, and there is a possibility of serious loss of stock. Places are efitirelv isolated. Tlie roof of an hotel

kitchen collapsed, the cook having a hairbreadth escape. At Middleman-!) creeks and rivers are in high llood. and there is 110 sign of the weather clearing. The passengers who left for Central Otago on Wednesday morning are still snowbound at Hyde. The Waipiata river is very high, and

i, si ill rising. At latest advices the railway trallic is slill seriously interrupted. There is no through communication cither north or south. but the Department hopes Io get passengers and mails to Christehurch and Invcrcargill to-morrow by coaching over breaks. On the Otago Central liailwa.v thetrain will run to llvde and back. There is four feet of snow on the line for a distance of about six miles near Wcdderburn. There is uo likelihood of trallic on the Outram brunch to-morrow.

TKLEOKAI'II IXTItKHUPTIOX. Cliristrliuivh, Last Night. Two more ot tiic direct northern, wire* were conned ed up to-day, and thi,' remaining two will be joined up tomorrow. The thre o direct wired and the one via Urcymoiith and Blenheim will bu sufficient to deal with- the normal volume of work.

IN WELLINGTON. Wellington. Night. The weather in Wellington has been very wet for I lie |m»t lew weeks. Today w«iy> rallivr woi>e than usual, rain failing continuously, accompanied by a fresh wind. To-night the wind has moderated, but rain continues lo fall steadily.