PUKETOI.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5008, 24 April 1895, Page 2

PUKETOI.

From tin Occasional Correspondent, It is impossible to estimate the damage done in this district by the recent Hoods. The rain began to fall on Friday night in a gehtlo soothing sort of way, leading us to hope for a bright to-morrow, and as we were keenly anxious for a fino Master Monday for our sports and dance, wo felt the gentle showers would certainly clear,

On Saturday the glass fell 6evevik degrees, and at half-past eleven tl& 1 rain commenced in right earnest, only those who have been on the bills in a thunder shower can imagine how the rain fell, or how it continued to fall through that day, the next, and the next, how it battered on the roof, how it soaked through the shares, and ran in little rivulets across the floors, making us wish someono would invent a waterproof case, which would float, resist five, and into which we wished wd could find ourselves snug and secure, shut up with our cooking apparatus until the flood had subsided; barring that, you began to feci a certain pride in being able to enduro it, and at the same tinto to resist the pagan feeling arising in your breast to erect an altar to tho gods of the aborigines, All sorts of stupid tales, and one or two legends recur to your memory: one indeed seems remarkably approptfc ate," How the' Puketois' are sacrSf and the gods ordered the bush for their own particular occupation, and now are angry at the desecration of the white man, and are sending rain to mako tho bush grow up again." You wonder it it would bo too stupid to stand on the bank of the Makuri and entreat it to spare tho bridges. As you watch whole forests of timber dashing and crashing past you, you feel too angry to emulato Horatins, and appeal to this angry seething torrent as " Father," so you let it alone, wait events, and try to philosophise. After all it cannot last for ever, and perhaps Government will help!

On Tuesday the weather began to clear and the glass to riso, Wednesday was bright and warm, Wo plodded through the' mud to enquire bow our neighbours fared, and found destruction everywhere. We were quite cut off from Pabiatua, and there were rumours of Pahiatua being quite cut off from everywhere. The waterfall close to Mr Dunnimril sheep yards and wool Bhed hsar broken its bounds and had washed a channel right through them taking fences, a bridge, and washing out a deep hole under the shed. A bridge on another neighbour's property was most. obliging as it floated gently down until it came to a spot where a settler much needed abridge but from where the original owner cannot reap any benefit. Mr Donald Donald's bridge over the Makuri I connecting his property with the main road was literally smashed into atoms, by the rush of trees and fallen logs,

A party of six ladies who drove up from Woodville last Friday to assist at our dance on Easter Monday, were at first weather and are now road, bound, It is impossible to say wien the, roads will be in a fit state forthem to return, as one of them drove a pony carriage; and'it is surmised that it will be better to drive, if drive at all, in nothing lighter thau a bullpck dray.