The Weekly Times. "Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri.” MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1867.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 21, 10 June 1867, Page 134

The Weekly Times. " Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri.” MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1867.

An article, which we have reproduced in our columns from a recent issue of the Sydney Morning Herald, shows ns that the humidity we have experienced during the past season has been by no means peculiar to New Zealand, but has extended over a wide area, and that while several districts in various parts of this colony have been visited with floods of a more or less destructive character, the neighboring colonies of the Australian continent, have been by far more grievous suffer rers from the same cause. We republish the article in question from a conviction that the lesson it teaches in its practical bearings will be found to apply in a great degree to our own circumstances. '

The illustration brought forward of the Neapolitan peasautry and their cultivations bn the sides of the volcano whose eruptions have again and again spread devastation oyer the very spots they cultivate, is striking in its teach ing how apt we are, in times of safety, to overlook possible, or even probable, danger; to act, indeed, as if the present state of affairs were a permanancy, instead of a mere temporary state,—-so that when changes come, bringing disasters in their train, they find us all unprepared to meet them, and often great sufferers from the consequence of this want of preparation. There is, however, onepoint on which the analogy between Vesuvius and our floods completely fails. The peasant may live in a state between hope that no eruption will take place, and dread of its coming; hut he is altogether unable to avert it, or to control it; he cannot be prepared against it ; if it takes place during his day and passes over his vineyards, his ruin is inevitable; previous warnings have no lesson for him, but that of terror—for no embankments will protect Him against the fiery cataract, and no artificial channels would suffice to divert its course away from him. With us the case is different. Meterology has become a science, and hydrostatics and engineering are happily well understood, so much so that perfect protection from floods is not only possible, but becomes reduced to a simple question of ways and means—-that is of finance. The writer in the article alluded to shoyrs how, by receiving, storing, ; and carefully applying the excessive rains bf certain sessions, we may be prepared against the ill results of the opposite state of things—continued drought. Iu a country like that of New South Wales and South Australia, where long-continued and excessive draughts of a destructive character fre-

quent occurrence, the argument is sound; but we think - that in; the

more- particularly is inappMcable,;a£^ watjßr, can -be ob-

'from .below; the* surface qf yjio earth by iheans|of artesian wells* hasbeen so fully and satisfactorily proved By actual experience.. What w© have to do is to favor the rapid discharge of the^imbfaiT* wkeii in excesr9 r from th®' land into tHe" sba; and th© question© that remain afe' concerning the most rapid, effectual, and economical method 1 of .doing .this. 1 7, , Tbe existing obstacles to this rapiiil and eflectual discharge are, the limited area and dppth of th© river beds, and the contra-action of tlie nsa, which, ibthe case “of a strong south-east wind r actually piles up. the water in the bay„, and forms, a; more effectual embank* - mentr to prevent the egress of th© water than .the hanks of the rivers-, themselves, the consequence being that the water being; unable to discharge itself with sufficient rapidity,.. accumuljate3 i; and bursts or overflow©its Bonds,, to the inundation-of all th© level lands .in its neighborhood*

Tn previous issue©of this journal w© have suggested the, oft av breakwater,, extending iir a northerly direction from' the Bluff; a© a* mean© of protecting the mouth of the - harbor from the action of the seav We are? well pleased to see that our views are* endorsed by a respected aud fellow-townsman in a communication! published by our local and also that, there is great probability of tbe work being taken up by the Government; true it is that? th© difficulties and cost of such a work will be immense, hut the benefit it will prove to the port will be altogether beyond calculation. . This how- - ever, is a view of the subject which* we must reserve for a future article..