THE WEATHER,

Temuka Leader, Issue 2317, 11 February 1892, Page 4

THE WEATHER,

TEMUKA. Any hopes that settlers may have had of the weather clearing and giving them a chance to change and dry their stooks have been effectually dispersed. Tuesday morning was again wet, and although the middle part of the day proved comparatively line rain again commenced falling at about three, and con r tinued about two hours. All,day the hills were obscured, and it was evident that the up-country settlers were getting a continuous drizzle. Yesterday morning rain fell in a gentle '? mizzle," - with oc? ccasional heavy showers, while the atmosphere was fairly mild. About one p.m. it cleared, and no rain fell during the remainder of the day, but the sky looked very threatening at times. The rivers subsided on Tuesday, but still continue to flow in turbid streams, quite sufficient to deter most people from attempting the fords. One or two, however, crossed the Orari at the Biverslea ford, and they report that comparatively little damage has been done there by scour. On Tuesday evening a son of Mr Spillane, of the Arowhenua Hotel, found and secured a boat which had floated down the river, and another was seen floating away to the beach. There are no reports of loss of stock by drowning with the exception of a few sheep that were caught in the riverbeds. The headworks of the Seadown water Bupply stood admirably, although they were considered the most risky of the lot. When inspecting them, however, Mr Marohant, the Council's engineer, and Mr Crozier, the ranger, had a narrow escape. They crossed the Walton Mill stream quite easily, and drove up the riverbed to the open cutting leading to the sluice.; While there, however, some protective work connected with the original mill dam gave way, and a large body of water was sent into the creek. They made all haste to return, but found on arriving at the crossing that the stream was fully two chains wide, and so deep that the waterrace alongside, ordinarily about five feet above the creek level, was completely submerged. Not desiring to be impounded between the creek and the river, they tackled the former. Mr Crozier, who was riding, got across safely, but Mr Marchant had more difficulty, as he was driving a young horse in a light cart. However, with some little trouble he got across, although the horse at one place was submerged with the exception of its head. Mr Orton, one of the harvest enumerators, succeeded in crossing the Opihi on the same day, but at great risk. In the Temuka district, especially, the residents have to congratulate themselves upon the fact that losses and damage by flood are not to be added to the loss of grain. Of the severity of the latter there can be no doubt. The harvest enumerators say that they never saw bo large an area of fine crops, and these are for the most part spoiled. In many places the stooks are blackening rapidly, and the prospects of farmers are gloomy indeed. A'iew farmers have their crops secure, and these are to be congratulated upon their good fortune. Many, through no fault, have all in the paddock. Some, unfortunately, have allowed their crops to stand out when they should have been in stack. Mr Gaffaney, of Arowhenua, threshed nearly all his from the stook, and was able to cart it into his granary. From the south the reports are very discouraging. Over the whole wheat-growing area rain appears to nave fallen more heavily than in '6B, and heavy losses are reported on ail sides. It is said that on the Waimate Estate fully 700 sheep have been drowned, and it is feared one or two small settlers about the Waihoa have been completely ruined. There is little information about the back country, traffic on the bye-roads being entirely suspended. There must be a number of individual losses, but the main source of regret will be the general loss to the country through damaged grain. GERALDINE. About one o'clock on Tuesday afternoon tho weather became quite fine, with the sun shining, but two hours later a heavy thunderstorm came on, which lasted over an hour. It appears to have been somewhat confined in area, for at AVoodbury it was not felt. The rivers are now gradually falling, but some are still impassable owing to the fords having been washed away.

Chrisichukch, Feb. 8. The phenomenal rainfall in Canterbury on Thursday, Friday, and again on Sunday excites serious feara for the crops in stook and standing. The rain ceased this morning and it is now fine. There have been floods north of the Hurunui. One of Derritt's coaches was upset attempting to cross the stream a quarter of a mile from Culverden. The driver and horses had a narrow escape. The iianiner Plains coach driver came through to Culverden on horseback, being unable to get the coach over the rivers. He had a narrow escape and lost three mailbags. Feb. 10. The weather continues dull, with occasional showers, and is still threatening. Oi.MAR.TJ, Feb. 9. The weather broke this morning, but it continued hot aud muggy, aiid there were grave doubts that the wheat crops would be greatly injured by sprouting. In the afternoon, however, a cold wind sprang up, and if this kind of weather holds the crops will have suffered very little. It is impossible to estimate the demage done by the floods till connection is restored. The beach Ufflre is strewn with carcases of sheep, etc., destroyed in the Kakanui 'flood. Tho rivers are all going down rapidly. A train arrived from Dunedin at 11.15 to night, and ordinary traffic will be resumed to-morrow. Traffic qn the Ngapara and Kurow lines is still interrupted. The former is expected to be ail right to-morrow, but the rebuilding of the bridge over Maerewhenua, on the Kurotv' Hue, will take, some time. Feb. 10. Details oi 'the damage caused by the floods are contfag to h» nd - The firat man through from KfUW to-day reports terrible ravages in tJiajt district. Tons of grain are destroyed, aad the bridges at Wharekuri, Awakino, Otjake, and Otekaike, are down, as well as those at Kurow and Duntroon. The railway is badly damaged in several places on the Kurow line. Many frrms are submerged. The Maerewhenua river is still rising, at dark last night several settlers had narrow escapes from drowning, being, rescued froni their houees by ropes. ......

. Dunedin, Feb. 8. The damago by floods at the Taieri is very great. Two lives were lost—Walter Swanson, a groom at Outram, and a man known as Old Harry, a servant at Kirkland. Sheaves are floating about in all directions and swept out to sea. At Shand's two hundred sheep were drowned, and numbers of Bheep and cattle elsewhere. The Governor returned to town to-night and, tried to proceed by the Hinemoa but the weather was too rough. The train from Invercargill stuck at Miltori. Lady Jersey is on board. Great damage is expected to the railways. The Outram bridge is expected to go during the night. Near Oamaru the Otepopo bridge is in danger. Feb. 0.

The bridges at Maheno, Bushy will be sufficiently repaired to allow the expresses to get through tonight. ■ ; All trains between Dunedin and Christchurch resume running to-morrow, excepting on the Kurow branch between Bortons and Hakateramea. The Outram branch is still under water, and this morning that portion between Riverside and Gladfield is submerged 8 feet, the roof of the Riverside Station being just visible. Water is still over the line between Owhirb and Henley. The river bank between Otakia and Greytown gave way during the night. The coach with the mails which left Milton for Mosgiel last night was unable to get through on account of a breach in the ordinary road, consequently communication by vehicle is also cut off to the south, and nothing can be done with this portion of the road until the water subsides, The line at Clarksville and Waitahuna was cleared this morning for trains to pass to and, from Lawrence. The state of the Taieri plain is deplorable. From within two miles of Mosgiel right up to Greytown the plain iB almost covered with water. At Outram last night people remained up all night fearing that the embankment would give way or the water flow over. The river reached to within a few inches of the top, and in some places the embankment had to be made slightly higher. The river then commenced to fall slowly,. and is* now down fully four feet. From Owhiro to Greytown, about four miles, the main railway line is under water, and it will probably be three days before it is passable. The Countess of Jersey managed to get through from Milton to Mosgiel, where Bhe took the train. The coach also got through with the mails. An estimate of the damage cannot be made for some weeks yet. The damage in the Shag Valley is also very great, and several farmers near Waikouaiti, and especially Cherry Farm, lose «onsiderably. The body of William Swanson was found within a fevr yards of where he disappeared; Invercargill, Feb. 9. The weather was fair all day but a southerly drizzle set in to-night. There have been no floods in this district.