HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 172, 11 July 1908, Page 2

HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODS.

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE IN OTAGO. TAIEBI PLAIN STILL COVERED. SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE LINES. HONEYMOON COUPLE'S EXPERT EXCE. SXOW JX MID-OTAGO.

liy Telegraph.—Press Association. Duiiedin, Last Xight. The Hood on the Taieri Plains has subsided four feet. The railway south is clear as far as AUunton, to which place trains run passengers, thence bv coach along the Hooded road to Waihola, where trains wait. The railway line between Allanton aiid Waiholo is'badly damaged. The loss to stock is very considerable, but the extent of the 'losses cannot yet be even approximately estimated. .Most of the plain is still covered with water, surrounding a multitude of inaccessible islands, where cattle may have sheltered.

Henley and Otokili are still partially submerged, and a good deal of damage is done to property. All the large bridges are safe, but the approaches to most of the small ones are more or less damaged. A part of the approach to West Taieri bridge is washed away. The water is running away rapidly, and the Hood abating. Serious damage has been done to the railway and telegraph linos on the Otago Central, and probably will cost a great deal lo effect repairs. There is still about two feet of snow near Eanfurlv. Two trains on Wednesday had trying experiences. The goods train stuck in four feet of snow near .Rough Ridge. Xearly two hours later another train with twelve passengers, including a couple on their honeymoon, tried to push through, but both got embedded. A ballast engine was sent to their relief, but they got no ncuflA than a quarter of a mile, finally the passengers struggled back in the ballast engine, arriving at Rough Ridge at 2/aau. on Thursday. The bride fainted from exhaustion. On Thursday the passenger train got out and returned to Rough Ridge, but the goods train engine, in pulling out, left the rails, and is still derailed.

To-day men started shovelling three feet of snow off six miles of the line near Wedderburn, and at Xaseby to-day a party was busily engaged digging isolated people out of the snow, it is reported that near Kyeburn there is six feel of snow.

Alexandra is completely isolated, and probably there will be considerable loss of stock on the high country. The snow has ceased falling at Xaseby, and the coach-driver got the mails to Ranfurly on horseback. For the first time in three days the mails and railway service were practically restored, but the Outram line is still blocked. The acting-chairman of the Taieri Drainage Board sent a telegram to ihe '.Minister for Lands a Government adsvj.'wrof. £IOOO to effect repaixs in embankments which have given way in seven places, the Board being without funds at present. DAMAGE IX TIMARU DISTRICT. Timaru, Last Xight. Numerous minor washouts have been temporarily repaired, and the worst damage in the district, through eating away of the north bank of the Waihao river, has been got over by a temporary extension of the bridge. Most of the damaged line is lost, and the train lias to be hauled by light engines and taken slowly over the soft places. The last express from, Dunedin was about an hiiir late here. The Diintroun branch is badly damaged, and there has been no trallic on it since Tuesday. Probably there will be nolle to-morrow. A storm culvert on Lake Wainono at the outlet of the Waihao and other streams through lh~o beach has been carried away.

OAMAKU SERVICES RLSUMICD. Oaniaru. Last Xight. Sullicient repairs will have been effected to flic railway lines in this district to allow of all the services being resumed on Saturday. The train to Tokarari ran Through to-day, and that to 'Kurow will run to-morrow. From eighteen to twenty-live indies of snowhas fallen in the Upper Waitaki. The sheep are mostly on the lower parts «if the runs, but it will be some time before this depth of snow melts, and there liiay be a good many losses.