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Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 122, 20 April 1897, Page 3

The weather having l.y tliis tirrc clean d, in the bri-ht moonlight eveiy opportunity was taken to ol.tain a view of the cruel havoc that had I ten made on every side. Piloted liy the same plucky fe'low, tlie loat was as fur as tlie I nidge, on which men, women, ami ihildren hiiddled,"ith water to the right and left (f tlie 111, and with no mians of escape nnt'l resein d from their \ery dangerous position. The women, drenched to the skin, and the crying of the children, and the surging of the waters as they dashed under the Lridge, was Slid indeed. 1 hree trips did the boat make conveying the sufTeiers to tlie Killldoti Hotel, where they were well looked after for the night. The attent'on of ihe boat's crew was then turned to the people at West Clive, and the liont having Leen carried over the bridge ii start wpsinntle for the Wee-t Clive Hotel, where information was Icarccd of the state of affairs in the Western portion of that (Patriot. After rowing for about a mile they reaohul a In use in which they found two women and four children i crehed on tables. They had been in 'his most uncomfortable position for several hours, until they were happily rescued about '2.:io a.m. on Saturday morning, and conveyed to the "West Cli'e Hotel. Traffic on the Tiiradsi'e Road on Saturday was very ditlieu't. Betvvcm the two budges on this road, extend'ng over a disance of srvi ral chains, the flood waters were pouring across the road with yreat velocity into the inuer harbour. 'J he load for some miles was covered with water, and it was no easy task trying to make one's way to the township. Teh graph poles and wi cs, biushwool, dead fowl", and decks, etc., were floating about in all direction o . Jn the Hastirgs districts the damage has 1. cen trevneudo! s.

On the CI cstcrhope Estate, where fifteen thousand shei p were depastured, inly seven thousand could be mustered. At Tannei's fit ly a thousand have been lost, while around Omahu and Pokowai, the settlers have lost heavily. The Postal authorities will make an attcn pt to convey the mails to-morrow by boat and cosch to Te Autc, whence a train will be dsipatched south. Te'egtwphic c\ mniuiiication will, it is hoped, be made by noon to-morrow. The railway train services have ncccsBaiily been suspeneleel, ami it will tome nths before the pcrmaicnt way can bo restored.

A rough estimate of the damage between here and Hastings places it at some i'M.COO. The men drowned leave families turnlering twenty children, which, with the widows, are left a'most unprovided for. Owing to the heavy si a which broke in the bav, the scow Rata was towed out by the J.D.O. to tic Ice of the breakwater. Dining Eridiy night it was found that she could not hangout Ihe ga'c, so she was siiled ovi r to the Wi stern Spit and beached. She is now high and dry. The crew are all safe. Mr Be illy, a milkman resiiPng opposite the Kivusidc Felln ongeiy Woiks, lost the who'.e of his stock. Ten cows and eighteen yearlings were seen all huddled together, lying dead in a heap. Mr Midgley Rayston lest 250 sheep, the water coming on lr.m so quickly and with such a rush that he had very little time in which to remove what stock he did.

At Nelson's, Mongatere re, the men succeeded in saving all the stock, but Mr J. Thompson, of Clive, lo ; t about 2000 sin ep. Mr Wuren, of Fardon Park, lost about 100 sheep, and Mr P. Robertson between 200 and 300 sheep. Mr Baker and his family, of Puketapu, had a very startling experience. Tlnir I ouse is situated in a gully, and an immense Li.dslip fell wiih a terrific crash fg in>t the building. The family had time to rake refuge in an old house, from which they could see their dwelling gradi:al : y beinj! drif.ed towards the liver, down which it floa'ed. They made their way o\cr the hill to Taradale, wheie tiny were accomn.odateel by Mr Kiikham.