THE QUEENSLAND FLOODS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1918, Page 5

THE QUEENSLAND FLOODS.

MACKAY IN RUINS, Auutraiian-N.Z. Gable Association." "■' $ Brisbane, Jan, SB. ;'| latest news from Mackay State# that the town is in ruins, there ia ntfV gas or water supply, and the town V 5 under police control. Heavy Tain V'H still falling. a TV mastrtr of the steamer ArawatteiA;! reports thati he remained in the viettK.'.'i ' r , v but saw 1 no sign of the tpwn, .ij * vast sheet of water. It, is feared that a calamity of enormous magnitude has' ' befallec Mackay, with appalling ]ou of' <, lifS." . MAK3KAY CUT OFF. COMMUNICATIONS \'. j _ Received Jan. 28, 8.5 p.m. \'> t Brisbane, Jan. 27. ' i' All efforts to reach Mackay and.' isolated districts have so far tile. It is understood that Bowen Wwal, the cyclone, but traffic is interrupted 6yi * the floods, bridges being washed away, 7 Telegraphic dislocation continue*, 'fllop Cloncullry district now being isoUfWi.The Federal Government baa dfluMnft '! [£sooo for relief purposes. _' ■"■J ' THE STRICKEN TOWN. ' M Mackay, situated on the south. tanifbf '|| the 'Pioneer River, is about twenty-jWj' '■»« tailes from Brisbane, arid his ft pontileHon of about 6000 people. The tvas named after Captain<fane« who led a party organised in Nw ' -"J land in the early part of 1990 for JK' ¥>W discovery of new grazing land. Obi i*l party discovered the river, which, Ufce the town that wan founded at its month/ was given his name. Later, howdftty 'M the river's name was changed to Pfontl "•>? at the-euggestion of Commodore Burhet'f. S| The hartior, owing to the eilt from the 4g river, has i*en very expwwMt; anil eea- ",'®a siderable sums were expended in. *1 harbor works to overcome the far at fW J\J entrance. In 1887 a new iron laipW«'£*M bridge was built across the river at "J » cost of £30,000, connecting the t<Wf» " r.l with its suburbs oil the northern hash, 'j The .bridge was 471 yards in length, && ; l this, witn the older wooden bridge, wMteW was rather longer, was a feature of Ota <'4 town. Coal was discovered in tile vfen- ij (ty of Mackay, and this greatly assisted l {j I the sugar industry whicli date* tbaele fo •' 'if 1 1868, when fir«v sugar mill was ereWfv jjfl Practically all the mills an off tt* *„4 Bouth foank of ffie river. The fifst is was planted in 1804 iby John Spiller, tJIIo .1 Was -also the owner of the first mill. TM > ji Colonial Sugar Cbmpatiy has now larM % holdings near Mackay. Agricultural atld pastoral pursuits also fohtriMe /-on* $ siderably to Maeka/a wealth. TJw b |)opuiatioii of the town in 1887 wag 4108, M and this had risen to 5157 in .SBOI, attt to 6135 in 11)11, when the c<#ist|B twrt ' j5 taken. A short railway line rune to $ the interior along the Pioneer ifSver froift ")» Mackay, but though the conneetion f, Towhsviilo and Rockhanipton liai bueft ' i authorised, there Is still about 100 Mile* if of lino to be lmilt before Mnekay Is } placed in railway communication with ■■ "j the south. Of the line to Townsville . 5 about fifty miles remain to- be ego- -f\ structed. ' 4