THE FLOODS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 100, 8 January 1870, Page 5

THE FLOODS.

LAWRBNCE.

In our last issue we described the flood which took place on Thursday as being equal to the largest which had occurred in the district, but that of Sunday last surpassed it by far. The Tuapeka Creek was at least six inches higher, and a corresponding increase was observable in every part of the district. The office of this paper was literally surrounded, the creek overflowing its banks and flooding Ross Place. The main street was covered, and every section in that part of the township was submerged to a depth of at least two feet. The Hospital Flat showed a still larger sheet of water than on the previous week. The creeks on the Beaumont Road were impassable, and remained so until Tuesday, and even then- horsemen had to swim one of them. Luckily no accident of any serious nature occurred in the district. One of our respected residents, in attempting to drive home his ducks and geose, missed his footing and fell headlong into the creek, but, being a good swimmer, he easily gained the bank in safety. The anxiety which possessed the mind of one of our Ross Place inhabitants may be imagined from the fact that he had his horse saddled in readiness to make his escape in the event of the Wetherstones dam breaking its banks. WAIPORI. On Sunday, the 2nd January, Waipori was visited by the heaviest flood that has ever occurred in the locality since the establishment of the town. The rain commenced about 7 o'clock in the morning, and continued,' without cessation, until Monday evening. At about 1 o'clock on Sunday the river was running level with its banks, and from that time until 5 o'clock it steadily continued rising — house after house being flooded, and rendered untenable. By half-past three the water had reached the door-step of the Bank of New South Wales, and soon after got into Messrs. Cable and Co.'s lower store, where a considerable amount of damage was done before the goods could be removed. At this time it was seriously feared that the whole township would be inundated, as the water was still rising very rapidly, and the rain coming clown in torrents. It fortunately, however, attained its highest point about 5 o'clock, when the water had just reached up to Messrs. H. and J. M 'Cay's store. As a matter of course, all intervening houses between this and the river were more or less flooded. Macledowney's hotel, Cox Bros, store, and Webb's store must have had at least 3 feet of water running through them, and Messrs. Cotton and Henry's hotel, on the opposite side of the river, was equally bad. It was with feelings of very great pleasure indeed, that we noticed the willingness and even anxiety displayed by the miners and others present to aid in removing goods and chattels, &c, and assisting any who were in distress. About six o'clock it was discovered that five or six Chinamen were in imminent danger on the flat, being entirely isolated from the land, and in some considerable depth of water. The King-tailed Roarer, a boat kept by a few persons for pleasure purposes, was launched, and Messrs. Caudwell, Louis, Habrerson, and Wheeler volunteered to attempt their rescue, which they did' at very great risk indeed, and in safely landing the Celestials on terra firma, two others refusing to come, preferring to spend the night on the roof of their hut, rather than leave what few good 3 they had inside. At this time the entire flat, as far as the eye could see in every direction, was one sheet of water — the roof of a hut here and there being the only objects that met the view. Very fortunately the Lammerlaw Bridge stood firm, as otherwise it must have carried the Waipori Bridge with it in its course down the stream. As it is, the approaches to both bridges are completely swept away. TUAPEKA MOUTH. The Molyneux and Tuapeka Rivers rose so high on Sunday last, that the saw mill was flooded, and part of the tramway carried away. •waitahuxa. The New Year has been opened somewhat ominously for the miners in Waitahuna, and more especially for those on Havelock Flat. The flood on Sunday attained within four inches of the level reached of that which occurred two years ago, and which was considered by far the heaviest ever experienced here. It rose to its highest level about 7 o'clock on Sunday evening, when the flat presented the appearance of a lake about a quarter of a mile long, in which there appeared dwelling places more or less submerged, while the river rushed through in a broad, roaring turbid torrent, bearing swiftly along water wheels, boxes, wheelbarrows, and other mining implements. Some hours before, the majority of the residents had been driven from their houses, each family wading through the water, as its rise rendered it unsafe for them to remain any longer. Till about 4 o'clock there remained occupied only Messrs. Frazer's, Oudaille's, and Adamson's places. In Frazer's the water stood for many hours at the depth of about twenty inches ; but, notwithstanding, I believe a band of choice spirits managed to pass the night in tolerable comfort. Mr. Oudaille's family were prevented from leaving their house, had they so wished, by the breaking away of the bridge on the one side of the road and the embankment on the other ; and their situation, had the water continued to rise a few hours longer, would have proved most perilous. The end of the bridge nearest Tuapeka has been carried away, and the embankment in addition, has been cut through at each end. This was the case on the occasion of the last two floods, and it will continue to be until the bridge is lengthened at each end by about thirty feet. The claims on the flat are almost all swamped out with their head and tail races. The miners in the main gully have suffered very little, with the exception of Butters, and Brucc's parties. The Prince of Wales Race is considerably injured I understand. I estimate that to repair the damage to mining property here will take the labour of sixty men for ten days. Among the settlers, Messrs. Browne, Millar, and Bartlett, have suffered severe losses. Mr. Browne had six. tons of fine clover hay carried off, and his fences considerably damaged. Bart-

lett's and Miller's craps have been much damaged ; and the crops in many of the gardens on the flat are covered by silt and sand. TOKOMAIEIRO. One of the local papejs says :—": — " At an early hour on Sunday morning, the downpour commenced, and from the appearance of the sky and glass, all those who had anything exposed to the elements, and who had any experience of a flood in Tokomairiro, naturally got alarmed. The rainfall continued during the forenoon without intermission, but as the river seemed not to be much influenced thereby, little attention was paid to it. Such was the state of matters till about three o'clock in the afternoon, when both branches, as if influenced by a sudden impulse, commenced to rise, and which they did at the rate of three feet an hour. This state of matters was very speedily observed by those near by, and the cry of a flood at once spread throughout the town and neighbourhood. Neither waa it raised too soon, as in a good many cases we observed cattle and horses which, apparently quite safe, were only saved by the exercise of the utmost vigilance. Towards evening the storm increased, the wind howled, the rain dashed everywhere, cattle bellowed, horses neighed, and other animals gave utterance to their natural cries of distress as the water rose. This continued throughout the night, and we quite agrae with a correspondent who affirms that it was the most dismal, dreary, gloomy night ever experienced in Tokomairiro. Till between 10 and 11 o'clock at night, the river continued to rise, and the water to find its way into houses, gardens, &c. The inhabitants began to prepare for the worst, and along the streets might be seen drays loaded with furniture, &c, in transitu from low to high land. Shortly before midnight the storm lulled ; the large proportion of the lights were extinguished, and the inhabitants retired to rest. At early morn a large number might be seen upon the south bridge watching the flow of the river and the debris floating towards the ocean. Fortunacely the carcasses of animals were but few. About eight o'clock the river commenced to fall, and after that all apprehension of danger was over." DUNEDT3ST. According to the " Daily Times," little or no damage was done in Dunedin by the late floods. The flat behind the gasworks was flooded, and the water washed into many of the houses, whose occupants were removed in drays. Several landslips had been caused at Port Chalmers by the heavy rain. THE TAIERIES. A landslip' is also reported to have taken place near the Junction Hotel, SaddleMll ; the slip covered the whole breadth of the road. The township of Mosgiel was covered with water, and the inhabitants were removed in boats. The Taieri Plain, as seen from SaddleMll, presented the appearance of a large lake, covering the entire extent of the flat between the hills on either side. At West Taieri, about four o'clock on Sunday afternoon, the river commenced to cover the township. Several families were surrounded by the flood, and had to be rescued in boats. At three o'clock on Monday morning the water began to recede. The damage done to the crops will not be so heavy as at first appeared. The gravel approach to the bridge on the west side has been carried away, and the traffic is entirely cut off. The " Daily Times " of Thursday reports a sad occurrence having taken place at West Taieri, by which a young man named James Hastie has lost his life. It appears that Mr. Hastie, who was the son of Mr. Alexander Ilastie, a farmer in the West Taieri, feeling anxious at hearing that the district was flooded, left Dunedin on Monday by the coach, intending to go home. )n arriving at the West Taieri bridge, it was found impossible to cross, portion of the embankmont having been washed away. He, however, crossed the river in a boat, and having done so, proceeded on foot, his best way being pointed out by the ferryman. The water lying on the low parts of the flat was very high, only the tops of the fences being visible in some places, and although requested by Mr. Ford, who ferried him over, not to venture, he determined to do so, expressing great anxiety for the safety of his parents. Nothing more was heard or seen of him until yesterday morning, when his body was found in a lagoon in Mr. James Shand's paddock, about three quarters of a mile from the place where he had parted with Mr. Ford. He was found in about three feet of water, although there must have been ten or twelve feet there when the flood was at its height. It is supposed that the strength of the current washed him off his feet, and that he was unable to recover Mmself , so as to avoid getting into deep water. The deceased was above 30 years of age, unmarried, and had been of late employed in Dunedin as a drayman. Later reports from the Taieri are very bad, the farmers in the lower lying parts having suffered severely, a large quantity of the crops being utterly ruined ; the water rose to a height of from two to seven feet in some of the houses.