THE WEATHER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8385, 20 March 1907, Page 5

THE WEATHER.

HEAVY RAINFALL. RIVERS IN FLOOD. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE. The heavy rain that has fallen in-, the district since Sunday caused the rivers to rise to a considerable height. Considerable damage was done to property by flood water, especially in the low-lying portions of the country. The Waipoua River was probably higher than it has been for some considerable time, The water broke through the stop bank near the Park about two chains from the end of the bank, and flooded the Park extension. A block river was the cause ofy the water breaking through the stopbank. At the W.F.C.A. stop-bank, on the north bank of the river, the water also inundated the neighbouring property. A porton of the stopbank was washed away, and a great volume of water came over the top of it. As showing the large amount of water in the river, it may be said j that this is the first occasion on which the water has rushed over this stop-bank. Mr T. Thompson's house, which is situated near the stop-bank, was flooded with water. The amount of damage done in this locality was about £ls or £2O. A number of large logs, belonging to Mr C. E. Daniell, which were deposited near his mill in Lincoln Road, were carried down the river and deposited on different parts of the banks of the stream. The damage done to Borough property by the flood was not very considerable. The river subsided to a great extent yesterday. The Waingawa River was also in flood, and the waters came very near to the top of the embankment which had been constructed near the traffic bridge since the last flood. The embankment, however, prevented the water from coming over the road. The water kept to its proper course. The Ruamahanga River was exceptionally high, and the water flooded the low-lying portions of the country along its banks. A considerable portion of Mr- W. Cooper's property was also under water. Messrs McGregor Bros., Te Whiti, had a numbW of haystacks inundated. Not much damage appears to have been done to County works along any of the river banks. Bridges, however, appear to have fared badly, j The ford at the Black Creek, in the ■ Fernridge district, was washed out. At Opaki the approaches to the Kiriwhakapapa bridge were washed away, while a small bridge on the Homewood flat was also washed away. The damage dora does not appear to be serious, but Mr McLachlan, the County Engineer, will be kept busy effecting minor repairs in the different localities.

Yesterday railway communication was interrupted for some hours between Masterton and stations to the North and South. A landslip occurred between Kaitoke and the Summit, and the mail train reached Masterton from the South two hours and a-half behind time.. Between Eketahuna and Mangamahoe three large slips occurred and railway communiation between Masterton and Eketahuna wa.3 blocked until the evening. JThe mail train from the South, which arrived in Masterton at 2.30 p.m. did not leave Masterton again until G p.m. It did not,*however, clear the Mauriceville Station until 8.45 p.m. During the -four hours that the train was at Masterton the passengers either cat in the carriages or paraded the platform. They were afraid to leave the platform even to obtain a meal, as the authorities could not say at what minute the train might continue on its journey. The only train that left Masterton for Wellington was one at 3.30 p.m. The ordinary mail train from the North was prevented from getting through for several hours owing to the slips. It arrived in Masterton shortly before 11 o'clock last evening—seven and a-half hours late. Th? line is now clear. The ordinary train arriving in Masterton at 8.30 o'clock was on time last evening. Our Tinui correspondent telephones that rain had fallen there incessantly for sixty hours, a large area of the fiat country being under water. On the Tinui-Whakataki Road the Whareama bridge, close to Tinui, was six feet under water. There was two feet of water in the residence of Mrs McDougal, and one foot in the residence of Mr Chapman, Flag Creek. Miles of fencing have been destroyed, and slips and wash-outs are reported on the roads,' but no actual particulars of the damage done has been received. The Whakataki Creek was in heavy flood, and Fo:~ man's coach was Unable to leave Whakataki. The Tinui portion of the mail was sent to Masterton by special messenger at 2 o'clock.

By Telegraph—Press Association. WOODVILLE, March 19. After forty-eight hours' steady rain all the rivers in this district are in heavy flood, the whole of the lowlying country round Woodville being under water. The Masterton Road is under water for nearly a mile. No very serious s damage has been reported, though the approaches of several small bridges have been washed away. The rain ceased this morning, but the weather is still very gloomy. So far railway communication only with Wairarapa is interrupted. CARTERTON, March 19. v Heavy rain continued yesterday and last night. The Kaipatangata and Maungatarere. streams overflowed, flooding the lowlands at Dalefield. The Ruamahanga River is higher than it has been since 1895, when bridges were washed away at Gladstone, and Kokotau. It is fearedjthat the rains of last night will cause it to rise higher. The Waioine and Waingawa Rivers, though high, have, not overflowed. Last night the, late goods train was blocked in the south by a slip between the Summit and Kaitoke, and in the north by a slip between Mauriceville and Mangamahoe. Ths morning the Wellington mail train was stuck up at Kaitoke for 2i-hours.. EKETAHUNA, March li) During the last three days 7.41 inches of rain fell.' Last night when the train from Masterton to Woodville was about 4i miles below Eketahunaa* slip fell on the trucks. The engine was detached and started for

Eketahuna to report, but met anothex large slip. Another slip falling behind it separated it from the rest of the train. There are now three slips on the line, the largest being estimated at 1,000 tons. Railway traffic is suspended, as the trains are unable to connect. ' Every available man is at work clearing the line. A train service is considered impossible before the evening. • PAHIATUA, March 19. . As the result of the heavy rain during the past two days the rivers in this district are in high flood. The Mangatainoka River has been running bank high. For the 48 hours up till 9.30 o'clock this morning 5| inches of rain fell. Railway communication is interrupted owing to slips near Eketahuna. DANNEVIRKE, March 19. Since rain set in on Sunday the total fall has been 5.85 inches. For the 24 hours previous to 9 a.m. today the fall was 4.21 inches. Beyond the lifting of a ' few small bridges, no'damage has so far been reported. HASTINGS, March 19. The weather is showing signs of clearing. The rainfall yesterday was 2.33 inches, the heaviest since July, 1905. PALMERSTON N., March 19. The Manawatu River was in heavyflood this morning; Considerable damage has been done to the Hokowhitu protective works. The main is broken in two places at the Tiritea headworks, and the town water supply is cut off. The service is now supplied by a small reservoir. It is expected that the damage will be repaired in a few days. Slight damage is reported to properties along; the river near Palmerston North.

BREAKDOWN OF WAINUI WATER SUPPLY. MAINS SWEPT AWAY BY THE HUTT RIVER. ' WELLINGTON, March 19. Heavy rain during the past few days caused a great flow of water in the Hutt River, near the mouth of which Gear Island divided the river into two channels. Over these channels are built bridges *to carry the pipes for the city's water supply from Wainui-o-mata. Recently the Board diverted the water from the western channel so that the whole flow of the river passed through the eastern channel. News comes from the Hutt this morning that the heavy flood had washed away about a chain and a half of the eastern bridge and pipes, cutting off completely the main water supply of Wellington, which now has to rely entirely on the Karori reservoir, which can only supply for a limited peritd. LATER. Over 100 ft of the pipe bridge over the Hutt River was washed away, and it is roughly estimated that the repairs to the water-mains and bridge will take some weeks to complete. Meanwhile the city will have to rely on the Karori reservoir, which has a storage capacity of 56,000,000 gallons. Roughly speaking, the daily consumption of the city is 3,500,000 gallons, and it is hoped to reduce this to 2,000,000 gallons during the shortage. Already all persons using water for business purposes have oaen notified that the supply is to be cut off or restricted. The City Engineer hopes to be able to meet the difficulty arising from ; the break in the water mains by turning on the supply from the Karori auxiliary reservoir to higher levels during certain hours of the night. It is expected .that the repairs to the Wainui main will occupy three or four weeks«