THE FLOOD.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 116, 22 February 1872, Page 3

THE FLOOD.

Yesterday morning the waters lmd subsided sufficiently to enable us to see all the ravages committed by them. The losses are not by any means as heavy as they were expected to have been. The machine-holders seem to he the heaviest losers on the whole. In the Tararu Creek, the Tinker’s Gully trainway has suffered, several of the bridges being rendered rather insecure. The culvert at llussell’s Battery has also suffered a good deal, and some damage has been done to the machine through the flooding of the house. They had to stop crushing, of course, but in a day- or so will stait all right. The Flora Macdonald flaming has also suffered a little, and is being repaired. The lluming of IJrown and Co.’s machine lias also been knocked about a good deal, and some tailings lost. On tha Moanataiari Creek, the Lion culvert got choked up, and No. 2 station on the line was in great danger, hut Mr Unthank put on a lot of men, and secured it. The culvert at the bottom, which burst, was emptied yesterday, and we saw some veiy largc stones indeed, and great junks- of timber, taken out, showing the great power of the water. The Manukau was flooded at an early hour in the evening of Tuesday, and was shut up. We perceive that the slush covered nil the bottom part of the tables close up to the copper plates. The Golden Crown machine was also forced to stop for the night, but got to work at 8 a.m. yesterday. The waters of the Waiotahi were yesterday turned down the main street j whilst the culvert was being cleared out. We must say that this culvert is quite insufficient for the volume of water likely to come down, oven during an ordinary freshet. From its peculiar position, it is just calculated to accumulate the mullock: at the mouth, where the water has a corner to turn, and there of course the creek overflows. The Criterion Battery has suffered, its shoots, Ac., being deranged considerably, but they will be able to start to work again. We have had no word as yet from Punga Flat, but should imagine that Weston’s is all safe, the Whan and Albumin machines not having been at all injured. The Karaka bridge got choked up on Tuesday evening, and flooded the surrounding place. The bridge was all clear yesterday morning. Up the creek the Humes of both Vickery’s and Bull’s No. 1 Battery have been very much injured ; and the dam belonging to the Una Company has been carried away. Mr Perry, at the Atlas Machine, has suffered considerably, part of bis fence having given way and allowed the water to carry off a quantity of tailings. His flume has also suffered damage. Mr Masters lost about £;">() worth of tailings, partly from his own yard and partly from the Waiotahi Battery. It was very fortunate that more tailings were not washed .away from the Caledonian Battery. Many houses on the lower parts of the flat were flooded, and the inhabitants were much inconvenienced by the dirt, etc., left behind by the water, but we think that, on the whole, we may say, considering the amount of rain which fell in such a short space of time, it is quite providential that more damage was not done than has been the case. Had the height of the flood come at high-water, there would have been something serious, undoubtedly, to record, but fortunately the tide was ebbing when the water came heaviest, anil so the culverts, small as they are, were open, and drew off a large quantity of the water. We have not heard of any landslips worth noticing, and at that we are rather surprised, hut very much pleased.