THE FLOODS IN WAIKATO.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 19, 24 January 1893, Page 2

THE FLOODS IN WAIKATO.

THE DAMAGE TO THE RAILWAY-

The correspondent] of the " Waikato Times " writes :—" I wenfc down yesterday to where the break in the railway line exists, about a mile this side of Rangiriri station. This consists of a gap 40ffc wide, through which the water is running like a mill race from the river over towards Lake Waikari, in fact the whole face of Nature about here presents very libtle else than a watery waste to the eye. Tho waggons which composed the train afc the timo of fche accident were lying about in disordered profusion ; some upside down, some on end, etc. Mr McLean, traffic manager aud engineer, has a staff of aboub 40 men clearing away the debris, but so far operations had been confined to tbe removal of the waggons which blocked the way. The earthwork behind the railway wharf ab Huntly used by the company has all fallen in; but thab and other miner mishaps will have to stand over ponding fche completion of the main job. The Great South Road is impassable ab Waughs, the water being nearly up fco tho top of the handrail of the bridge there. Mr F. Foster who resides on an island at Rangiriri, is a heavy loser, as I hear that the island is completely under water. The river has now commenced to subside, but so far very slowly. FLOODS AT ALEXANDRA. The rain which commenced here on Sunday evening lasb, and continued without intermission until Tuesday morning, has caused the greatest rise in the Waipa since the greab flood in 1875 ; in facb there is but a few feeb in difference. Again the bridge ab Alexandra is carried away. The old sbrucbure stood tho tremendous pressure of the flood for nearly all day on Tuesday, tho handrails being under water at early morning. The company's old store fchafc stood oub the 1875 flood has also gone wibh the bridge. Traffic on tho To Rore road is stopped, the Mangapiko bridge being many feeb uuder water. Mr Berry, who has a lease of the old pah, Mabakibaki, has lost the wholo of his crops. Thero are also great losses up country, between horo and Otorohanga, the wholo of tho cultivations near fche river being totally destroyed. Otorohanga township is undor water, and no doubt considerable damage has boen dono there. The flood is now subsiding, bub very slowly. DAMAGE AT OTOROHANGA. The rain was very heavy and continuous throughout Sunday and Monday, and the Waipa River rose rapidly, until on Tuesday ib waa a complete borrenb, running ab the rate of eight or ton miles an hour. The country round about here was a sight to behold, and tho greater parb of tho township was undor water. Ab daylighb on Tuesday morning the natives living in the lower part of tho town were to be seen wading waist deep, carrying thoir household goods to dry land. Ellis's mill and all the houses in tho neighbourhood had many feet of water round them or, rather, they wero apparently situatod almost in the middle of the rivor, which was running at an alarming rate. It is fortunate that the rain ceased when ifc did, otherwise tho whole of the township would very shortly have been swept down the river. Fortunately, the railway embankment opposite the stores, hotol, and Mr Cussen's office hold good, otherwise those premises would have been flooded out; as ib is, much damage musb havo beqn done. Ib is too soon yet to ascertain whab amounb of damage has been dono afc fche mill. The natives have suffered heavily; many of their pigs, cattle, sheep, etc., having been swept away by tho flood, and their houses —many of them good, substantial cottages, builb in tho European style—must have beon much injured.