HEAVY DAMAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1930, Page 7

HEAVY DAMAGE.

CANTERBURY FLOODS,

MANY CROPS RUINED.

TRAFFIC DISORGANISED. MIDLAND RAILWAY BLOCKED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRIST CHURCH, this day. Floods resulting from the continuous rain of the last few days have caused heavy damage in all parts of Canterbury. Crops, both standing and cut, have been damaged extensively. Losses of stock are reported from mid-Canterbury. Oats in stook and grass cut for hay

and seed are total losses. Large areas of wheat and oats, the straw of which has been softened by the long wet spell, are laid flat. A strong wind or more, rain will greatly increase the damage, apart from the likelihood of smut and cereal fungoids appearing. Late sowings of turnips are ruined. Traffic is held up in all directions, the most serious blockage being on the Midland railway, where there are five washouts between Springfield and Arthur's Pass. The roads in every district have been damaged, and many are impassable. A sudden roar from the direction of the hills startled residents and visitors to Ashley Gorge yesterday afternoon, and many had visions of another severe earthquake. They were startled to see what appeared to be a large portion of a bush-clad hillside slide clean away and crash down into the river. Other smaller slips occurred frequently, but the river swept everything before it. Where the big slide occured a large waterfall appeared.