THE FLOODS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1545, 21 August 1886, Page 2

THE FLOODS.

The rain, after wo went to press last issue, continued to pour down in torrents until the following morning, when it moderated, drying up after 10 a.m. on Thursday. . Considering the large quanti'y of rain that fell the rivers «rere not very high, although in many places they overflowed their banks. There was, however, a large quantity of surface water on the ground, and the land between Vine street mud the Main street, Temuka, was inundated. The road from near the Star Hotel to the Temuka bridge was also submerged, and the road between the footbridge near the manse and the town was for a good distance .inder water. Tb|e Waihi at Winchester rose high, and came up a good part of the road, but beyond some severe scouring no great harm was done. The principal damage was done to the approach at the Tima.ru end of the Opihi bridge. Here about ten yards of the street piling, which has hitherto protected the approach, was lorn away, and a large hole was eaten into the solid road at the end. The rirer had nearly cut its way through ths approach, taking away tons of gravel, and if i! had not subsided so soon it would have taken away all obstructions and cut down to the hotel. Men were engaged there all clay yesterday, and late last evening they succeeded in making the bridge passable f< r light traffic. At the end of Cass utreet about two yards of the bank for a distance of about a quarter of a mile have been taken away, and but for the tliingle placed there by the Town

Board the overflow of the rivor would have como down Vine stnef, nnd- the flood would probably have lw.,n -is high at that experienced about three years ago. About a chain in width by 20 or 30 chains in length of the bank st the Oxford bridge has been washed away. During the last five years about ten acres of land have been washed away from this Bpot, and the Oxford bridge stands now at a great distance from the east Bide of the river, with scarcely a drop of water reaching it, even when the river is at its highest/ It will be difficult, if not impossible, to make any more use of it, and if the land continues to go away for the next few years as it has done recently, the river will extend uo to the Main Road to Winchester. Something requires to be done immediately, but it is to be feared that action has been postponed too long, and it is very doubtful whether much can be done now without the expenditure of a large sum of money much larger than can be easily raised. Those who oppose the formation of a Board of Conservators would do well to visit this spot, and see for themselves the danger that is threatening property in (hat neighborhood. The approach to Sharp's bridge at Kakahu has been washed away, and in several places the roads have been scoured.

No serious damage is reported from the Geraldino district. Beyond washing away a few temporary approaches to bridges, and disturbing most of the crossings, no damnge has been done. On Thursday the Hae-hae-te-moana was too h*'gh to allow of the mail being carried acrosc, but on Friday it had sufficiently subsided to allow of this. The coach between Orari and Geraldine which had been going the back road was enabled to resume its usual route o» Friday.

At Dunedin there was tbe heaviest floods known tliere for years. The lower part of the flat was under order. All the cellars in the city were flooded. Several houses in High Ward were damaged. Railway communication was completely suspended. The machine rooms of the newspaper offices were filled to a depth of 3ft, the Times not being able to complete its iflsuo till nearly rjoon. One house in Duncan Street was completely wrecked by a fall of eaitb, but the occupants were fortunately Bleeping in the upper rooma. A large two-storey house belonging to Mr McFarlane was seriously threatened. There were several large landslips in the city, and the upper end of the Oargill road ditch,' which coet about £IO,OOO, burst up. In Bond Street the water rose in several warehouses to the height of 3ft. In Sargood's Bond about 450 cases of drapiry and general goods were damaged. It was the heaviest rainf«ll for twenty-three years. Outram (Otago) was in great danger, but the bursting of tho embankment below the town re'ieved it from danger. The Taeri Plain was covered for miles with water.

Railway communication north and south of Oamaru was suspended on Thursday. The railway bridge over the Maerewhenua river at Duntroon, on the Kurovv branch line, was partly carried away, stopping communication on that line. The sea on Wednesday night, which was the heaviest known for many years, caused a breach in tbe breakwater, two blocks forming the top of the foundation being driven in, but the monolith remains in position. The footbridge at Duntroon, over the Maerewhenua river, was completely carried away, as was also tha bridge on Livingstone road. It is reported that the telegraph station at Greytown (Otago) was washed away. The rains have caused an immense amount of damage to the public roads and private properties around Akaroa. In some places the main road has been carried away bodily, pedestrians haying to cross private properties to continue their journey. Many of the settlers were on the watch all night dreading landslips. Many chains of fencing and acres of good land have been destroyed. Several narrow escapes from loss of' r -life occurred. Heavy losses of lambs are reported from Otago and North Canterbury.