HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 173, 13 July 1908, Page 2

HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODS.

Tllli XAliiiil SUBSIDING. By I'clcgraph.—Press Association. Duuedin, Last .Night. The Hoods on the Taieri Plains are rapidly subsiding, and the river has gune back to something approaching its normal condition. A great deal of country is still under water, but all danger i-> at an end. The damage has been considerable, but it has not, so far as can be ascertained, been so large as might have been expected. The I largest sufferers are the most inaccessible, and consequently iiiil'onna!ti.;r. concerning their losses is meagre. With but few exceptions, the Settlers anticipated danger and removed most, if not all, their stock to higher ground, and as crops are not grown on the bulk of the submerged ground, the loss from that source is not extensive. One of the most serious aspects is the, pioviding of food for the dairy rattle for the next month or two. In Henley district, where dairying is carried on on a rather large stale, there is every probability of there being a large deposit of silt' on the land, and grass must inevitably be destroyed in a measure by water lying so long 11)1011 it.

INTENSE COW). IIAKDSIIIP.S I.V CUMTISAr, UT Y<!'). ANXIETY FOR ISOLATED .MINERS AM) HABMTEKS. A' DREADFUL EXI'KKIENX'K. Dnnedin, Last Night. Advices from Nascby state t'liat the Government forest plantation suffered severely as Hie result of the snow, about 'half the trees being crashed by the weight. The eokl is intense, and farmers in outlying districts are suffering severely, and much anxiety is felt for isolated miners and rabbitcrs in the back conn-

Juines McCormick, a rabbiter, had it terrible experience. He left Naseliy for ICyeburn on Tuesday and was caught in a snowstorm. He sheltered in a small cave till Friday morning without food or fire, and was then driven out by the cold and hunger, and with his feet so severely frost-bitten as to be useless. lie crawled three miles to an outlying township, reaching it 011 Friday night. It is expected amputation of both feet will be necessary. Parties set out 011 snow shoes yesterday to relievo isolated persons, and a special party set off for a point 45 miles up tlio Government water-race, where there are three race employees--Crawford, Jordan, and Farquhar,