CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1798, 26 September 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor.

PAST FLOODS.

Sir,—As we have read much of the discussions respecting the late flood I beg leave by your permission to give a little information of the past. I have been in this district 28 years last January, and the first flood was in January 26 years ago. In the last week of the previous year it came on with heavy rain and wind from the south-west, and it was bitterly cold, so much so that the hills were covered with snow like winter. After a week or more the wind shifted round to the hills with warm rains and then came the flood. It extended to the Hutt at the Silver Stream, and took cottages down the river, and some of the peoplo in them. Fifteen persons wero drowned. I have seen these plains under water, except a few patches twice since then. That old place of Miss Jeaus', then occupied by Mr Crayrie had the water three feet deep in it The last of the three floods I think was 16 or 17 years ago next October, when the the Waingawa broke through and came down the plain. The late Mr Bannister, myself, and others went up to see the cause, and found that a very large tree with top and roots had turned the river out of its course, and it was evident there was but little difficulty, when it get into the old channel, in coming down the plain. A meeting of settlers was called to consider what was best to bo done, and it was concluded we should, if possible turn the river back into its former course, and to do this we had to make a break-water with large boulders, walling them up. About fifteen or sixteen volunteered to go, and we were three days working in the water, sometimes ovor our knees. The. last day we opened the old course and had it not been done, Masterton would not have been what it is now. I consider this last flood nothing in comparison with what has been. No doubt the railway at the station being rose prevented much water from flowing down the south side of Masterton. It used to come down by Mr Bell's, the draper's, so much so that when Mr George Dixon was driving his father's horse and cart over the old bridge it was so deep that he got on one side, and it turned the horse and cart over and drowned the horse; and what has been may be again. It is a great mistake for our engineers ever to attempt to confine such heavy bodies of water which occasionally come down these rivers, I was fully convinced, from past experience, when the river rose, the road leading to the Waipoua Bridge or the bridge itself must go. ■ I am, kc, An Old Settler,