DAMAGE BY THE FLOODS.

BAY OF PLENTY AREA. THE PLAINS UNDER WATER. A SCENE OF DESOLATION. SETTLERS* LOSSES OF STOCK. [BI TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WHAKATANE, Saturday. Never since 1906 has such a flood as the present one visited this district, and it. is believed that the damage that has resulted will run into several thousands of pounds. The flood waters are now subsiding and the whole countryside presents a most desolate appearance, damage and destruction being apparent everywhere. All over the plains innumerable lakes are seen, and cattle and other stock are huddled together on the higher portions of the land. For miles fences havo been levelled to the ground through the weight of the debris carried by the rushing waters. In some parts also the telegraph poles have been knocked down and trees have been uprooted. Quantities of silt havo been deposited on many of the farms and the pastures havo been mined for some time to come. Acres and acres of maize crops have been flattened down and in most cases will prove a total loss. Several hundred sheep and pigs have been drowned, while in a much lesser degree cattle have also been lost. The settlers have had an extremely trying time, and many of their houses were flooded and the inmates had to raise their beds on boxes in order to get free of the wet. Others again had to sleep on tables. A large number of the houses are now surrounded with a good depth of silt, and the appearance of the homesteads is dreary. In places the road metal has been swept from the roads and the damage thus caused will run into several hundreds of pounds. The mail car, which was held up on the Whakatane side of Te Teko, reached Whakatane with Tuesday's mails from Auckland this morning. No trains are running between Matata and Whakatane, owing to a washout on the line. Communication has been restored between Whakatane and Opotiki, the Taneatua Road being now clear of water. Beyond the mail mentioned no mails havo reached Whakatane for three days. It is reported that there is a big slip near Rotoma and car traffic from Rotorua is entirely held up. Commercial travellers and a number of other visitors are held up at Whakatane and the hotels are fully taxed to provide accommodation, many of the guests having to be content with shake-downs. The scow Otimai arrived off the Whakatane Heads this morning, but owing to the flooded state of the river was unable to make port. The vessel therefore proceeded to Ohiwa, and will return to Whakatane when the weather moderates. GALE IN THE NORTH. TAYLOR'S FLAT INUNDATED. MOTOR PASSENGERS TRANSFER. FENCES AND TREES BLOWN DOWN [Bl TE^ORAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] DARGAVTLLE, Saturday. The spell of fine weather broke on Tuesday, and culminated in a heavy gale and rainstorm on Wednesday and Thursday. The wind rose to hurricane force late on Wednesday evening, and was accompanied by very heavy rain, which made all the rivers and creeks in the district rise rapidly and in some cases overflow their banks. The water again came over at Taylor's Flat, near Tangiteroria, and passengers and mails by the Whangarei motor-bus had to be ferried over the water to a bus on the Dargaville side. Tho same performance was necessary to-day. The water is now subsiding, and should be clear' of the road to-morrow. At Maropiu the water came over the railway line, but the train was able to get through. The wind and rain ceased late last night and this morning broke beautifully fine, but tho weather is again very threatening. The wind did a good deal of damage to fences in the town and country. A number of trees were also blown down. Telegraphic communication is cut off in all directions, and the business of the telegraph department has been carried on under great difficulties. All the lines were working again to-day, and the service is now about normal. WAR MEMORIAL WRECKED. BLOWN DOWN BY WIND. SCULPTURED SLAB BROKEN. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ■\VHANGAREI, Saturday. Hikurangi suffered a serious loss by the demolition of the war memorial by yesterday's heavy gale. The memorial was a large slab of Oamaru stone, sculptured and mounted on a marble base, inscribed with the name? of those forming Hikurangi's roll of honour. It was erected at the side of the concrete bridge spanning tho stream in King Street, which is Hikurangi's \main thoroughfare. When the gale was at its height an exceptionally severe gust blew down the top slab, which fell on to the concrete footpath, breaking into several pieces. The marble base was also severely fractured, and it is problematical if the memorial can be restored. WAIHOU RIYER FALLS. NO DAMAGE REPORTED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 1 PAEROA, Saturday. The flood water on the Paeroa-Te Aroha Road has receded, and telephone communication between Paeroa and Waihi and Paeroa and Auckland has been restored. The Waihou River, although running high, has dropped considerably since yesterday morning, and the water on the low-lying country near Puke and Komata has receded. ]No. damage or loss is reported. The Piako River is in flood, but the water is getting away quickly, improved drainage facilities successfully coping with flood and stormwater. The weather was fine yesterday, but heavy rain set iu agaiu this morning.