FLOODS IN WAIKATO.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 3209, 19 January 1893, Page 2

FLOODS IN WAIKATO.

A nnsuiiT of the heavy rains and the rapid rise of tho Waikato was the collapse of a small bridgo on the railway line about three-quarters of a mile south of Rangiriri. The goods train which leaves Auckland at 4 a.m. had proceeded as tar as tho bridge mentioned in safety, although tho whole of the country south of the Mangatawhiri was under water. At tho bridge tho wator from the river which is about a mile away was backed up and running through tho opening in tho permanent way with a strong current, As tho engine wont on to the bridge the driver, Major, states that he heard it crack and cramming on a full head of steam just managed to get the engine and four trucks ovor when tho structure collapsed and eleven trucks, several of which worn loaded, wore thrown into the swamp. Tho ongine was detatchod and proceeded to Huntly, instructions being sent at once for the North and South passengor trains to moet at the scene of the accident, Meanwhile the railway hands workod hard in order to mako a crossing to get the passengers from tho two trains transhipped, and on the arrival of the trains thiß was proceeded with at once, tho guards, Messrs Feat, McVeagh, and Craig working indofatigably and they wero ably assisted by the male portion of tho passongers. The transhipment being completed about three o'clock, the trains at once left, and the one coming south shortly afterwards passed a ballast train from Otorohanga, convoying Mr Maclean, Resident Engineer, and a largo gang of men, who had boon working at tho slip at Otorohanga, to the scene of tho accident. Great credit is due to the Traffic Department for the excellent arrangements they had made for the carrying on of the traffic, and to Mr Maclean for the promptitude with which he was on tho spot, Work will be carried on with all hands until tho bridge is replaced, but it is not expected that tho through traffic will be able to be resumed before Saturday. Although the accident is serious enough as it is, what the consequence would liavo been had the train been a passenger ono are tim dreadful to contemplate. Almost tho whole of the country lying between the river and the railway line from Mercer to Huntly is under water, the river in several places being over the road for some considerable distance, and in one or two places up to the level of the top of the permanent way on the line. The river is still rising, and further considerable damage is expected.

THE WAIPA BASIN. The heavy downpour which came on Sunday and Monday last, aided it is believed, by the melting of snow on Ruapehu, ha* put a flood into the Waipa that can ooly be campared to the big flood of '75. In lact, our Whatawhata correspondent says, when looking at the old flood mark at noon to-day, Wednesday, the waters wore then wtliin 2J feet of it, and still rising, Of course communication up and down the river is stopped, all the river flats being far under water. To reach the township from the Tuhikaramea aide was no easy matter. The Koramatua bridge and approaches at least 15 feet deep, and this necessitated a three-chain swim. However there was no choice for it, and accompanied by my two companions we tackled it, each carrying his clothes in the old style, in ono hand. On reaching the township a remarkable spectacle was presented by the river. This was now a vast sheet of dirty, clay-cclonred water, reaching far up the high banks upon each side, and as it sweeps past, trees, logs, pieces of timber, and numberless other things not distinguishable, went floating down. About 5 a.m. this morning, a mass of timber debris iooking like the decking of a large bridge, and about two chains long came down. It cleared the bift bridgo all right, and fortunately passed the saw-mill building, or it must have gone also. Of course the Messrs Maunder have suffered heavily; logs have been swept away, the dwelling house has floated up to the high bank, and only the roof of the main building is to be seen; and this appears so warped and strained by the pressure of water that it may go at any moment.

By far tho largest losses will be incurred by those who had crops growing on the river flats. The Maoris had large crops of potatoes, maize, &c., on the Peninsula, and all those, with the exception of about two acres on the high lands, have boon destroyed. It is difficult to say, a? yet, what damage has been done, but it cannot fail to be vory large, and unfortunately will fall upon manywho can ill-afford it. Potatoes will be scarce this winter on the Waipa, for quite three fourths of theso roots are grown on the rich lower terraces. To show how fast the flood waters poured into the Waipa, the river rose during Monday nipht and Tuesday morning as much as 10ft, in seven hours,

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.! Huntly, Wednesday. The river rose rapidly last night, and this morning is far above ordinary flood level, and iimcii damage has been done. Messrs Sidgeman, and "Montgomery are heavy losers, their gardens being completely submerged. Hundreds (or thoosands) of fencing posts and strainers havo come down fr.im Cambridge, and Mr E. Souter, of Messrs Souter and C"., who rode doivn early this morning, has offered £1 per hundred for all recovered, and a great many linva been brought to bank here. The p,s. Freetrader passed about five o'clock this morning on her way down to head them and recover ai many as possible. The engine of the goods train arrived here at noon to day. The line gave way ft mile this sido of Rangiriri just as the train passed. The engine and a few empty waggons crossed all right, eleven were upset, and tho remainder left. Through communication cannot be restored until the line is repaired. Tho river is still rising, and the consequences look serious, A long cattle train hero will have to stop, and the stock will bo release 1, as they cannot proceed north, (ur TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT). Cambridge, Wednesday. The present flood in the Waikato at Cambridge is the highest there has been for seventeen years, and on Tuesday oveniiig it was within 3ft. liin of the height it w.v when tho bridge was carried away in 1876. The scene at tho bafi.na was a very strange one. and much dnmago was dono. Stacks of totara posts and strainers, numbering about 7000, were carried away, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of iv willing band of workers to save them. The posts belong to Messrs W. Souter and Co., and the strainers tn the Estates Oumpany, Tho former will be losers to the extent of £l3O. and the latter £250. Messrs Souter anl Co. were naturally very anxious about the river rising after the lato heavy rains; but on examining it on Tuesday morning they thought it would only rise about as much as in the last flood, about two months ago, Thoy wired up to Atiamuri and Taupo, asking if the river were still rising, but could not get a reply. About three o'clock tho river began to ris3 rapidly, bringing down logs that had been stranded for years, and trees and a groat amount of debris. Messrs Souter immediately engaged men to movo the posts to a place of safety, and a number of others amongst whom we noticed Messrs Webb, Clark, Reynolds, Millar, Potterton, McFarlane, McNeish, and a Maori named Daniel quickly joined iu the work, and up to their waists and sometimes even higher in the water, saved iv goodly number but notwithstanding their efforts the river rose so rapidly that tho above-mentioned number went down the river. A reward of £1 po« 100 for posts, and Gd each for strainers now adrift in tho Waikato River will be paid for all such stacked on the river bank where they can bo loaded into the ateamor, and a re* ward will also bo paid for any information loading to the conviction of any person misappropriating either posts or strainers, The rewards will be paid by Messrs Souter and Co,, on production of a receipt from the steamer, , . Alexandra, Wednesday. The Alexandra bridge and the adjacent house loft for Ngaruawahia this morning. The river has risen 40 feat, and it is sup] posed to be the heaviest flood scon here in tho memory of any living individual, Great losses will be occasioned through the native plantations being all submerged, OTOROHANGA, Wednesday. Tho flood was at its highest at 1 o'clock yesterday, the railway line is under water for three quarters of a mile. All the whares find houses tin tho banka of the Waipa wera desorted. The water is now subsiding rapidly ; it fell four feet during last night, The train has just left here for Te Awamutu; sho was due there yesterday, Raglan, Last Night. The weather has improved. Creeks are going down, Three bridges—the Waimaori. Black bridge, and Waitomotomo—are reported impassable. The harbour water is coloured yollow, showing the severity of tho flood.