GREAT GALE AND FLOODS.

SOME EXCITING EXPERIENCES.

SERIOUS DAMAGE.

SHIPPING INTERFERED WITH.

A COACHDRIVER DROWNED.

The great gale and heavy rains which visited Auckland and vicinity during Friday night and the early hours of Saturday seem to have been fairly general over the whole of the colony. Reports from various centres show that the storm for severity has not been equalled for many years, and it is feared that many settlers and others will have had entailed on them heavy, if not disastrous, losses. Railway lines and bridges appear to have suffered greatly, and communication has in several places been interrupted. A sad drowning accident is reported from Blenheim. The wind which was blowing from between north and north-east on Friday, gradually increased to a heavy gale on Saturday morning, some of the squalls being very severe in the early hours of Saturday morning. The gale was accompanied by a deluge of rain, which flooded the low-lying streets. Patte-son-street, from the corner of Franklin Road to Billington's corner, was impassable for some hours owing to the gratings becoming choked. Custom-street West, from Parker, Lamb, and Co.'s to the gas works, was also flooded, the rain making the roadway quite deep with water. ~ In the city and suburbs a number of fences I and trees wore blown down by the force of ! the wind, and in one or two exposed positions windows in business places and private houses were blown in. The telephone system throughout the city was greatly interrupted owing to the wires in various parts being carried away by the force of -the. wind. Workmen were busily engaged during Saturday •in making the necessary repairs. The masters of vessels had an. anxious night of it. The Tarawera moored inside of the i eastern tee of the Queen-street Wharf, with the Sugar Company's barge moored along-1 side, had a lively time owing to the heavy! sea breaking in, "but beyond a little scraping to both vessels no severe damage resulted. Several of the yachts, anchored to the eastward of the Railway Wharf, came to grief. The Elian Martha dragged her anchors and drifted on to the breastwork, but was hauled off. without suffering much damage. The yacht Flora dragged ashore on to the breastwork, near the Auckland freezing works, and suffered so much damage that she sank. The yacht Merry Duchess! broke away from her moorings during the night, and went ashore near the Wynyard Pier. Several small boats were swamped and sank along the Parnell shore.

The Kauri Timber Company's employees had a somewhat anxious night oH Friday, owing to the extreme weather, and early, on Saturday morning Mr. T. H. White, the manager had to be summoned, owing to the booms breaking away, one of the mud punts having fouled them. After a good deal of work Mr. White and Ms assistants secured everything, without any great damage being done.'.'"

A number of scows anchored to the westward of ths Hobson-street Wharf, dragged their anchors, and narrowly escaped going ashore in the bay, bub were brought up in time to avert disaster.

Steamers leaving Auckland on Friday night had a somewhat lively experience, as did also the steamers coming up the coast. The Northern Company's steamer Waitangi, which left at nine p.m. on Friday, did not reach Mercury Bay until -past seven a.m. on Saturday, after a very rough trip, at times the" after-part of ,the steamer being under water from the heavy sea running. The Northern Company's steamer Waiotahi was unable to leave Opotiki for Auckland on Saturday, owing to the heavy sea breaking on the bar, but she was expected to get out some time yesterday. The Mangapapa is detained at" Whakatane from the same cause. , • The Union Company's steamer Mokoia's passage from Gisborne was much prolonged, owing to her meeting with head seas and thick weather, on the passage. The steamer left Gisborne at a quarter-past eleven a.m. on Saturday, and had to ease down owing to the thick weather for some hours, and did not reach port until after five p.m. yesterday. Tho Union, Company's steamer Hawea left Gisborne for Auckland at noon on Friday, and met with the gale shortly after leaving Gisborne. The,wind was from the northward, and was accompanied by terrific bead seas and thick rainy weather. It took the steamer 13 hours to accomplish the distance from Gisborne to the East Cape, the usual time being seven hours. The East Cape was rounded at one a.m. on Saturday, when the steamer encountered the full force of the elements, and Captain Stevens deemed it necessarv to heave-to, and for five hours the Hawea's head was turned to the wind and sea. Shortly after five a.m. the wind suddenly changed into the south-west, and the sea decreasing considera-iy the Hawea was put on her course, again, and made port at eleven a.m. yesterday, her passage having been prolonged to 47 hours. r /j DWELLING-HOUSES FLOODED AT COROMANDEL. INMATES RESCUED BY BOATS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—-OWN CORRESPONDENT,] Coromandel, Saturday. Very heavv rain fell during the night, and all the* low-lying land is flooded. This morning the water rose on a number of dwellinghouses on the banks of the Whangareke Creek, and the occupants had to be rescued by boats. Two bridges crossing the said creek were washed away, and much damage has been done to the roads throughout the district. Several settlers lost a number of sheep and pigs, while great damage was done to fences. The flood was the heaviest known for years. The rain has now ceased, and the water is subsiding. ROTORUA. LAKE STEAMER DAMAGED. [BY TELEGRAPH".OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Rotortta, Saturday. The boisterous weather of yesterday culminated in a wind and rain storm. The wind was of tornado force during the greater part of the night and up to eight o'clock this morning. Iron was torn from the roofs of several buildings, and the rain water forced into nearly every building in the town. In some cases slight damage has been done to stock. Shipping on the Lake' suffered very much. The steamer Hamurana broke from her moorings and collided with the new jetty, doing damage thereto to the extent of tearing away one of the erections. The vessel is considerably damaged, and is submerged alongside the jetty. During the heaviest of the rain this morning the streets were very much flooded. DAMAGE AT KAIHU. RAILWAY COMMUNICATION STOPPED.' [l!Y TELEGRAM.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] , ; Dargaville, Saturday. Very heavy rain fell last night and this morning. A fresh in the Kaihu Creek has . caused considerable damage. The railway line from Dairy Flat to Maropiu is completely under water, in some places to a depth of four feet. The ballast has been carried away from the embankment going into Kaihu. Over 30 chains have been thus washed away, and the rails left hanging on the sleepers. Several culverts have been destroyed, and the bridge above Kaihu has been damaged. It will be several days before a train can reach Kaihu. It is estimated that the damage to the railwav will amount to £500. Trounson'3 sawmill at Kaihu is much damaged. The embankment of the dam was carried away, and the water rushed through the mill. Timber stacks were taken downstream, the platform was destroyed, and logs from the booms were strewn over Kaihu township. The estimated damage at the mill is £1000. It has been the heaviest flood seen for many years. The Northern Wairoa races have been postponed till next Saturday, on account of the wet state of the course. | Heavy freshes are reported from other parts of the district.

WJIANGAREL i [MY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESrONDENT. J;: Whang arei, Saturday Last' night , the weather was very, rough indeed. A heavy gale was blowing from the north-east, and this morning the creeks were very high, and the flats under ■■■water.' There has not been, so far, any damage to roads or bridges reported. . DREDGE DRIVEN ASHORE. * [BT telegraph.—-press association'.] . , New Plymouth, Saturday.v The Harbour Board's dredge went ashore last night, in the gale, but got off uninjured. The Ayrshire, loading off Waifara, put to sea in the face of the gale, and returned this morning. No news has yet movI ed of the barque Onyx," due h$ <I«e b:f&k- ---! water, and which was off Oputiafce o,t Tl urs- ; day. ' * ■; SERIOUS FLOODS AT NELSON. [BY TELKGKAFH. —PEERS ASSOCIATION.] Nelson, Saturday. Heavy rain which fell last night brought a severe flood, and several places in the town are under water, which has entered the houses situated in low-lying parts. The residents living on the bank of the river are cut off from communication. There was no train to-day. Telegraphic 'ommumcation with Brightwater is cut off. The TVest Coast coach, which left Longford, in the Buller Valley, for Nelson this morning, had to put back owing to the flood in the Buller. ' Later. A portion of the railway between Ntljon and Brightwatei' bus been washed away, and traffic is impeded. The Motcpko cart bridge is damaged. It is rumoured that the Motupiko railway bridge approaches have been washed away, but no definite news has come to hand in town. Damage to the extent of £100 has been done in the city at " Wainui" (Light-band's boardinghouse). The ' Maitai River has washed away the croquet ground soil; etc. In Brook-street' a footbridge, with a dray, was washed bodily a quarter of a mile into the convent grounds. The crossing over the upper reaches of the Brook are all washed away. Nile-street bridge is greatlv strained, owing to a large walnut tree falling across it. O'Connor's bridge has been carried away by the waters. The new darn in connection with the city water supply at the head of Brook-street stood the strain splendidly, U Mi-ph the water was coming over with a head of two feet, like a small Niagara. Tools, plant, etc.. were washed away to the value of £60 or £70. The Harbour Board's new dredge stood the gale well, but lost some chains, etc. Otherwise the Harbour l*n i 4 vl'« less is small.

ROADS DAMAGED. [IST TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] Westport, Saturday. Considerable damage was done to the Charleston and Buller Roads by Friday's floods. Some 40 feet of approaches to the Mountain Creek bridge were swept away on the former road, and on the latter several landslips occurred. Traffic will probably be obstructed for a few days. The temporary staging and derricks for InangiUna hrding bridge were carried away. The damage is estimated at several hundred pounds. REEFTON. ; HIGHEST FLOODS FOR TWENTYFOUR YEARS. ' [IIT TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] Reef-ton, Saturday. The rivers and creeks in this district "rose to a great height last evening, it being the highest flood seen in the district for 24 years. Many settlers have been injured through their lands being washed away, and crops have been damaged. Rogers' hotel at Boatman's had nearly two feet of mullock in the lower rooms, owing to a big slip at the rear of the building. Many dredges are surrounded by sand and debris, and are unable to work. MARLBOROUGH. , : « PHENOMENAL. FLOODS . . '." COACH. DRIVER, AND HORSES WASHED AWAY. "'" [by TELEGRAPH.—PRESS association.] Blenhiem, Saturday. The exceptional rainfall of the past few days has caused the highest, floods in this district known for years. The floods were confined to Waiau and Opawa Rivers, Tuaroarina, Spring Creek, and Grovetown being the localities especially affected. At 11 o'clock to-day a considerable area of Northern Blenheim district was under water. The town so far is dry. Road and railway communication between Blenheim and Fie'ton is interrupted by a wash-out on the railway lino near Tuamarina. The train which left Picton this morning as usual was unable to get through. : Phenomenal floods exist on the Pelorus and Wakamarina Rivers. The bridge crossing the Wakamarina at Canvastown was washed away. Serious loss of live stock is feared. • The Nelson mail coach, which left town at ■ seven o'clock, without passengers, came to i grief near the Wairati bridge, wbo.it six I miles from Blenheim. The flood was rushing across the road with great force, and there was deep water with a strong current at the foot of a rather steep approach on the Tuamarina side. Here the current overturned the coach and horses, sweeping them against a fence. Two of the horses were drowned, and the driver, George Richardson, is missing, and is supposed to be drowned. An energetic search is being made. Rain is still falling. Later. The police party have returned from their search for the driver of the Nelson coach. The coach they found hanging to a fence on Tuamarina road side. By means of a boat, and with great difficulty! they cut free two of the horses, which escaped alive, the other two having been drowned. They also fished up the mails. The accident was witnessed by a settler, and Richardson was seen to swim for 200 yards, and then sink exhausted. They failed to find his body. Tuamarina district is one sheet of water, and there has been a heavy loss of stock and grain. ■:■-..'.. The railway between Blenheim and Picton has not yet been restored. Gangs of men are repairing the wash-outs at Tuamarina. The Waiau and Opawa Rivers ,sent down extraordinary volumes of water, and the settlers in the various localities suffered severely. The water escaped over the river banking into the centre of the town, and business was practically suspended. But the streets were not completely covered. The flood waters, commenced to subside during the afternoon. , Blenheim, Sunday. The body of Richardson, the driver of the Nelson coach, was found this morning in the flood water, 100 yards below the scene of the accident. At the inquest a verdict of accidentally drowned was returned. The flood waters have subsided, and it appears that the loss of stock and grain, though exaggerated in the first report, is considerable. The principal loss has beeu in respect to grain left on the ground after threshing. Workmen were engaged to-day in repairing the breaches on the railway between Blenheim and Picton. and it is expected that communication will be restored to-morrow. A report from Havelock states that the flood in the Pelorus district is the biggest ever known. Stock has been drowned all over the place, and three bridges have been washed away. -