THE WEATHER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8433, 3 May 1907, Page 5

THE WEATHER.

Compared with Wednesday little rain fell in Masterton, yseterday, and the rivers receded considerably from their swollen state of the previous day. The water, yesterday morning, was about 12 inches deep on the footpath in front of the residences of Messrs Carr and Tinsley, at Kurip6ni. The, reports that reached the County Engineer (Mr D. McLachlan), yesterday, showed that large slips had blocked the main road from Eketahuna to Alfredton; also, Saunders' Road, Pori Road and Wangaehu. Road. The Ruamahanga River has washed out a considerable portion of its eastern bank, and the waterthreatened to carry away the approaches to the bridge over the river on the Te Ore Ore Road. Mr McLachlan considers that it will be necessary to have protective works put in, near the Ruamahanga Bridge. All the bridges over the rivers in the Masterton County are reported to be safe. Gangs of ten men will be put on at once to clear away the slips on roads..

The mails from Homewood, which should have arrived in Masterton on Wednesday, are still detained at Waikaraka as the coach cannot get through. The mails from Masterton to the East , Coast have been taken on from Carswell's, where they were delayed on Wednesday night. Heavy rain commenced to fall in Eketahuna on Tuesday evening, ajid has continued almbst incessantly ever since. As a result al 1 th rivers are in high flood, and-creeks overflfiwingtheir banks, submerged a large area of low-lying country. Slips were frequent throughout the district, but none were sufficiently large to impede traffic to any extent. A small slip occurred on the railway • line near Konini, and another towards Mangamahoe, but* both were cleared away in time to prevent any disorganisation of the railway service. Slips occurred on the North .Road, Masterton Road, Mangaronga Road, and Bowen Road. Slips were burner- _ ous in the Alfredton district, and it is stated that Kmonths will elapse before thejPori Road will be again open for traffic. A large slip occurre d on Dunderdale's Hill on the [Alfredton Road. A slip occurred on the road between Nireaha and Newman, and vehicular traffic has been blocked. FLOODS IN THE LOWER VALLEY. By Telegraph—Special to Age. GREYTOWN, May 2. The heavy rain during Ithe last few days has resulted in the flood-, ing of the j ivers and creeks in the Valley* Ac Greytown the Waiohine River overflowed near Mr Udy's homestead, and all the lowlying land was submerged and a large volume of water is coursing down both sides between the old platform bridge and the Waiohine bridge and finding its way into the river again near Mr Williams' resilience, Ahikouka. The road is badly washed out in several places. At the Maori pah, Waiohine, the water is 2ft deep over the road and one house at the pah has four inches of water inside. On Thursday morning at Mr McGuinness' house, the water went inside. This is the first time for twenty years that such a thing has occurred, and gives some idea of the extent of the flood. At Papawai the Ruamahanga River overflowed, andrthe low-lying .country for miles is under water, and several homesteads were in danger on Thursday morning. During 'the ' day ; the water abated' and no damage resulted. At Morison's Bush the houses Messrs Waite were completely surroundedjthrough the creeks and main drain overflowing. - At Matarawa the whole of the low-lying. countryside is one vast lake. At present it is difficult to say if any serious damage has been done, but there : is almost sure to be considerable damage to- property and potato crops. The stock ( along the banks of the Waiohine and Ruamahanga Rivers was removed to places of safety. By Telegraph—Press Association. CARTERTON, May 2. The continuous rain of * thte past two days resulted in the, heaviest floods experienced in Wairarapa since 1892. The Maungatarere and Kaipatangata streams flooded the Dalefield district, ,where three small . bridges were carried away. At Black bridge the. Waiohine has flooded the Maori pah, and [land on the western side of the northern portion of Carterton borough was flooded, The Ruamahanga overflowed its banks at Gladstone, where flood waters are high. Messrs Frank Jand Cecil Groube, travelling from Long bush to Carterton, last 1 night, had to abandon their gig between the two bridges'of the Ruamahanga, which were [impassable at Gladstone. The telephone line is also down, and Gladstone is cut off from all communication. The floods are very bad down the Lower Valley. *'A telephone message from Kahautara state country is a sea of water, the inundation being the worst since 1895.