THE LATE FLOODS IN OTAGO.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 87, 16 October 1878, Page 2

THE LATE FLOODS IN OTAGO.

/ I (From the ‘ Olutha Leader,’ Oct. 11, and Dunedin ‘ Morning Herald.’) • Up to mid-day on Thursday the Clutha ! had continued to fall slowly, but steadily, E and the greater part of the inhabitants ’ had returned to the township, and the 1 disagreeable and difficult work of cleanf ing out tbe houses, was vigorously proceeded with. Balclutha presented a most , dilapidated appearance, especially towards } the south of the township. Fences, trees, : shrubs, etc., broken down or covered up, gardens obliterated, everywhere dilapida--3 tion and devastation. Although most of 3 the houses remain standing, and have i sustained but little damage, the whole 3 properties are in such a ruinous condition that much money, time, and labour, will be required before they can again be 3 put into decent condition. It is sur- ’ prising that so many houses are standing. , With the quantity of timber and huge logs that came rolling down, and acted I like battering rams upon the houses, the i wonder is that many more have not been . carried away. Many of the streets, including the main one, were impassable, . holes from five to twenty feet deep haying I been scoured out in them at various points. From the quantity of water still flowing through them it was impossible to estimate the cost of repairing them. The inhabitants, on returning to their homes, ! had no difficulty in getting into the town by the bridge from the north side, but as the culvert at the southern boundary had been washed away, and as the current continued strong across the road in that quarter, there was great difficulty in geti ting in from the south. But the danger was not so much owing to the depth of • water and strength of current as from the numerous large holes that had been formed in the streets. These being filled with muddy water, could not be seen, and many narrow escapes from drowning have therefore occurred. Most of those who attempted to traverse the known dangerous ground groped their way with long poles, and thus somewhat reduced the danger. A lady walking at the back of her house disappeared, and a gentleman who went to her assistance also slipped into the pit, but managed to scramble out, and then assisted the lady. In the centre of Barr street a horseman came to grief in an immense hole, and had to be assisted out. Another horseman, after swimming safely through two holes in the main road, parted from his horse in a third hole, the animal getting his legs entangled in some wire fencing. 1 The man had to swim seventy yards, and the horse two hundred, before footing. One fatal accident occurred. A . man named Henderson, feeling the depth of a hole in one of the streets with a long stick, lost his balance and fell in. A person who was with him held out a stick, which Henderson seized, but the man on shore, losing his footing, let go his hold, and Henderson was taken down stream. A box was thrown to him, hut it did not reach him. The body was recovered next day, from tbe same hole, in ten feet of water. On Wednesday the weather was very sultry, with a northern breeze, and fears began to be awakened that a second flood would be the result. In the evening it commenced to rain heavily, and great anxiety was felt to ascertain the condition of the weather and river at Clyde, Cromw -11, and Queenstown. Special telegrams from the inland districts were applied for, and the following were received next day : Cromwell, Oct. 9 a.m. River rising rapidly. Risen about two feet. Clyde, Oct. 10, 9 a.m. River rising rapidly. Raining very hard since 9 p.ra. last night. Prepare for another flood. 2.15 p.m. It is raining hard here, and the river is rising fast. 3.10 p.m. River wants twelve feet of being at highest level. Rising slowly. Raining slightly. Looks dirty. 5 p.m. It is still raining slightly. The river has not risen any since 2 o’clock. 8 p.m. The liver is still rising, and it is raining again here. The river has not risen much to day, and it is not thought it will rise much more. On the receipt of the first telegram at 9 a.m, on Thursday, a large number of the inhabitants at once made preparations for leaving. Goods in stores were packed upon the highest shelves, furniture was raised upon tables, beds, &c., and throughout the afternoon the inhabitants began to move off in drays and other available vehicles. Knots of travellers, with hastily made up bundles of clothing, bedding, &c., might be seen wending their way towards the bridge and the south, and up the road on ■ the high ground on eacn side of the township. The sight was a very dreary <ne. but some'had experienced the dire results of remaining too long in similar circumstances, and were quite to be excused for the haste with which they turned their backs upon the apparently doomed village. It is much to be feared that should the flood to-day rise to anything like the height of that of last week, the damage will be veiy much increased. Some houses are now in very precarious positions, and a very little more washing away of the adjacent ground will totally undermine and carry them away. In consequence of the hot winds and rain up the country, the Molyneux commenced rising early on Friday morning, and continued to rise throughout the day. It - was anticipated that the flood would exceed the big flood of Monday. Almost tbe whole of the population left the township, and very few remained o\er the night. A telegram from Queenstown, dated V October 11, says tbe weather was fine till Wednesday morning, when hot • winds prevailed. On Wednesday evening there was a thunderstorm. One young woman was seriously injured by lightning. Since

then there has been almost rain. The lake was lowering 111 J yesterday evening, but it is now rising i ast, and is now (2 p.to.) within 33in. of tire late flood. Hot and very stormy winds are blowing from the north ; but if it veers, nearly every building on the lake shore will be washed atvay. The mountain sides between Roaring Meg and the Victorian bridge are reported to be slipping rapidly into the Kawarau. The barometer is very low. / The island of Inch Clutha was much ' submerged, and the ground covered with s. sludge. A small portion of the stock has Jjpßeen boated off the Island. Most of the are in a critical state. Saved from drowning, they are now threatened with death in another form—viz., starvation. Food is, however, being conveyed to them so far as this can be accomplished, but their future depends entirely upon the state of the river. The flood fell with most disastrous effect on Kaitangata. The people in the lower parts of the township began to leave their houses on Friday, and on Saturday and Sunday every person was engaged in removing their property to higher ground. The churches and schoolrooms presented the appearance of immigration barracks on the arrival of a home ship, and many took refuge iu Wangaloa, where it is needless to say they found a cordial welcome. The water in the submerged parts stood at from three to eight feet deep. On Tuesday morning the river made two breaches in the sandspit, and thereupon the real work of destruction began. The water, finding such ready means of egress, began to fall too rapidly, and tore up the river banks frightfully. Mr Harvey’s bam and stable were the first buildings to get carried away, and speedily went out to sea. The Kaitangata railway bridge was only saved by being fastened with chains, the piles being in part completely undermined, and communication will be suspended for some time to come. Along the river bank, from the punt to the bridge, five or six immense chasms are made in the roads, and some houses are completely undermined, while in some cases the gardens are washed away. The farmers around have suffered very severely. Mining operations are in the meantime suspended, and cannot be resumed within six weeks at the earliest. It is impossible (writes the ‘ Cromwell Argus,) while the waters still continue at so high a level to conceive the extent of damage done throughout the country. Bridges, roads, telegraph lines, and property of every kind have suffered to a greater or Jess extent, and it will be many months before matters are again brought Into their original condition, at the cost of a vast outlay of money. Before the greater calamities, other misfortunes serious to individuals are dwarfed for the time, but their effect will he none the less felt for a considerable time to come. The mining interest of the country must have received a most damaging blow. Water races everywhere are in wreck, and the highei lands are in such a sodden state that slips may be expected at any moment and of any magnitude. On the Queenstown road, we are told, whole mountain aides are on the move, and at many places it is impossible for a pedestrian to got 'yalong where the road was. Space and (time would fail us to give in this number anything .like a detailed account of the individual losses and suffering that have been brought down upon people in our immediate vicinity during the past week. Many settlers will be seriously crippled for a length of time to come, while not a few have been utterly ruined. The Dunedin ‘ Morning Herald’ of Saturday says : —A day or two ago we we had hoped that the worst was over in connection with the floods in Otago ; and that that worst was bad enough there can be no doubt. From the reports which 1 came to hand, it was evident that an incalculable amount of damage had been done in both town and country. There is a wonderful amount of elasticity in Colonial nature, however, and those injured at once set about endeavoring to repair the damage done to their crops and stock, or to their houses and goods. One thing was very noticeable, the wail of hopeless anguish that invariably arises in the Old Country upon the occurrence of any unforeseen or unavoidable misfortune, was entirely absent here. On the contrary, men commenced, in a manly way, to make the best of what remained to them of their possessions ; and conjectures were hazarded as to how many years would be likely to elapse before the district would again be visited by a similar calamity. Unfortunately, it now turns out that the worst is not past, hut has probably still to come. The heavy rain of Wednesday night and Thursday appears to have fallen very generally in the southern portion of Otago, and at noon on Thursday word came from Clyde that the river was threatening there. At Balclutha the Molyneux began to rise, slowly at first, but gradually and steadily increasing, until by the latest intelli gence we learn that the township is once more deserted, no less than 125 persons having left for Dunedin and Milton by the afternoon train yesterday. A warm N.W. wind is blowing, and the amount of snow lying on the ranges is very great, being in some places as much as 80 feet deep. It is impossible at present to predict what will be the result of this second flood, following so closely upon the first one. Crops already injured will be entirely destroyed ; houses previously undermined will probab[y collapse ; and embankments, roads, and railway lines will become total wrecks. All that can be done at present is to wait patiently, and watch the progress of events. Whatever doubts may have existed hitherto as to the advisability of, appealing to the Colony on behalf of the poorer part of those who have suffered by this lamentable visitation, we think there should be no hesitation or delay now. There is already a great amount of suffering, and we take it to be incumbent upon the great bulk of the colonists too see to it, that no one is allowed to suffer from the want of necessaries on account of damage received by the floods. Of course there will he much loss sustained by individuals that will of necessity have to be borne by themselves. This is inevitable ; and many of the greatest sufferers, we have reason to believe, would be the first to scout the idea of having their losses made good by public subscription. At the same time, the number of struggling settlers in the country, and of working men in the towns, who are deprived of the means of livelihood must be very considerable ; and these have a legitimate claim upon the assistance of their fellow colonists,

BELIEF FUND. A meeting was convened by the Mayor of Dunedin on Fr’d y to consider the advisability of taking steps to relieve the distress of suff-rers by the floods. His Worship explained that the suggestion to hold the meeting came from Mr Justice Williams, who bad waited upon him on the previous day. At his Honor’s suggestion, he communicated with the Mayor of Balclutha, who telegraphed that assistance was very necessary, as a number of the settlers there were ruined. It was mentioned that, in response to the appeal in the £ Evening Star,’ some subscriptions bad already come to hand. His Honor Mr Justice Williams moved—“ That a committee be appointed for the purpose of collecting subscriptions for the relief of those who had suffered by the recent floods. ” Of course any subscriptions that might be obtained would be strictly for the purpose of alleviating what might be called distress. They could not for one moment undertake to relieve the immense losses which numerous persons had sustained, but it had occurred to him, and doubtless to manj 7 others, that this flood must have caused a great deal of distress, particularly among the small settlers, to whom the gift of a few pounds—or the loan of it if they would not take it as a gift—-would be of material service. . For his own part, he wished that the distribution of the fund should be strictly confined to such cases. The motion was carried unanimous'y. A motion to ask the co-operation of the boroughs was passed, after amending it so as to include County Councils, and to confine the request to local bodies of Otago. Codec tors for Dunedin were chosen, and different portions of the town allotted to them. Telegrams from Balclutha state that the flood of Saturday was not quite so high as that of the 4th, but as much of tne town was under water. No more buildings have gone, nor much further damage done to the town, as far as was known. One of the piers near the centre of the traffic bridge went on Monday morning, and the platform dropped into the water. The wire ropes still hold it however, so that it has not gone. Several piers of the viaduct are loose and •ut altogether. The post-master was nearly drowned near his office. His horse fell with him, but both were rescued, and the mails recovered. The railway station will probably be shifted to higher ground. There are several large channels through the present station-yard.