HEAVY TAINFALL AND FLOOD.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4732, 7 March 1884, Page 2

HEAVY TAINFALL AND FLOOD.

Considerable Damage.

The exceptionally fine weather we hare enjoyed for the past week encouraged th« hope that we would yet have a. short summer, but these pleasant anticipations were rudely dispelled by the rain beginning to fall last night at about half-past nine. When morning broke Jupiter Pluvius was still pouring down his showers of blessing without stinting the measure, and by 9 o'clock several of the smaller creeks had overflowed the water-courses, and flooded some of the premises in Rich mond street (north side), Sealey street" (north side), and Coehrane street. " Up to this time the KARAKA GREEK, which is the one most feared," owing to its being higher than the surrounding houses, had kept within bounds, but an exceptionally heavy f shower about 11 o'clock caused such a rush of water that the I culvert at Pollen street became partly choked with logs and debris, and in a very short time the water was pouring in tor rents over both sides of the culvert. The southern stream found its way through the shops of Messrs J. Clark, and Mears and Co., the other shops for the time es caping it, while the northern stream flowed across the Presbyterian Church enclosure, and pouring in a hundred miniature waterfalls between the palings, joined the stream coming down Pabau street, and, crossing Pollen street, flooded several houses there, and flowed seawards. As soon as Messrs Clark and others saw the culvert becoming choked, they knocked away the hand-rail, and allowed the water to flow straight across Pollen street, which it was soon doing to the depth of a foot or more, covering the street with all sorts of debris. This would have reduced the overflow at each side, only the body of water increased in volume, and it quickly entered the houses and shops of Messrs Denby Brassey, Hunter, Cocks, Forgie, Grigg, Clark and Mrs Jefferson on the one side, and Mr Burton's hotel on. the "other, while several private houses and gardens on the west side of Pollen street, and in Walter street were flooded. At one time there was a foot of water in Mr Clark's shop, and both he and Mears and Co. had goods damaged. The other parties invaded by the watery element had. time to move most of their-goods. The Presbyterian church enclosure is covered with mud and sand, and the palings were knocked off the fence to give freer egress to the water. At the corner of Coehrane and 0 Pollen streets, thanks mainly to the overflow from the Karaka, the water rose a foot over the pavement, flooding Messrs Bull and Eeid's shops. The Queen of Beauty pump was almost stopped in order to ease the flow of water j as much as possible, but notwithstanding this the streets were under water for several hours. The amount of water along Pollen street from Coehrane to Pahau street may be judged from the fact that a boy paddled along in a skiff. In GRAHAMSTOWN the south side of Albert street, from the Pacific corner to Queen street, was under water, and several low-lying premises were flooded, but the damage was not serious. The Waiotahi aqueduct held out till the heavy shower at eleven, and then it choked at tho head, and a volume of water poured over and into the lower culvert for a short time. The Moanatairi aqueduct did not overflow, though it was running full. At TARAETJ the Shotover creek was kept running in the culvert for several hours, but at last it overflowed, and covered the road with mullock and debris. SHORTLAND did not suffer much, except that portion near the Karaka Bridge. Mr Farrar's shop and several other houses in Sealey street were inundated through a culvert choking, and Mr Bobbett's house and stables were flooded, as also were two or three houses adjoining. In Baillie and Mackay streets also a few allotments were covered with water. Parawai was also visited, but the damage done was slight. Soon after one o'clock the rain abated, and the excess of water running off, - left the streets once more fairly dry, though very muddy. The Borough Acting Foreman of Works, Mr C. Hastings, with the Borough employes and ten extra men, were out very early* and did their best to keep the various channels, clear, and managed to do so for some time, but the downpour at eleven o'clock was too much for them. The flood will cost the Borough a considerable sum in effecting repairs, but it is fortunate that the rain did not come at high water instead of low, else the consequences would have been more serious. SHOBTLAND WHARF. The heavy fresh in the Kauaeranga rirer must have brought down a large number of logs to the Shortland Sawmill Co.'s boams at Parawai, judging by those which escaped and were borne out to sea. The fishermen were on the alert, and removed their craft to a place of safety; But the Thames River Company and others were not so fortunate. The p.s. ITe Aroha was moored just above the inner end of the wharfj but the strain proved too much, and she broke away, smashing the s.s. Yivid's stanchions, and carrying away the s.s. Buona Veatura as she floated past tha wharf. Both vessels were, however, thrown upon the mud bank and there anchored. One of the Company's punts, the-Excelsior, moored alongside the wharf was twice struck on the quarter by a log, and the planks were stove in. Another punt, not belonging to the Company, received a severe straiaing. The mill hands were out after the escaped logs, and managed to secure several of them.

Tej Paeroa mail carrier was compelled to return to that place this morning, owing to the high flood in the Komata river. v