THE FLOODS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XI, Issue 869, 9 December 1893, Page 2

THE FLOODS.

THE STATE OF CUVE. INCIDENTS OF THE FLOOD. From the graphic account of the flood* furnished to the Telegraph on Wednesday by its special reporter we make the following extracts : — It was a pitiable sight yesterday to stand at the end oC the big bridge at Olive and watch boat after boat bringing in women and children from their homes which afforded not the slightest shadow of comfort, but more misery than anything else. All wero scantily clad, and what they had on was not by any means dry. All told of the miserable night they had passed when the flood waters invaded their dwellings. Roused from their beds with a vague idea that something terrible had happened, they soon realised the extent of the clangor in which they were placed. A great many were better 08 than others in regard to the amount of of water that filled their dwellings, owing to the difference in regard to the elevation of the locations, but all were More or less Swamped. In one house a man who was lying sick had to ba looked after, and the water rosa so high that refuge had to ba taken on tlie roof of the dwelling which the family occupied. Another family that the pilot boat rescued consisted of a woman and ft number of children, who had scarcely a stitch of clothing on, and very glad they were when assistance arrived so opportunely. They were taken to terra firma. and conducted to Mr Smith's Farndon Hotel, where they were attended to as well as oircumstancps would permit, (or there is no mistake that the resources of the establishment were taxed to their utmost capacity. Old and new linen, clothes, blankets, and articles of every conceitable description, were supplied to all snd sundry. One gentleman who had what may bo termed a ' Narrow Squeak ' had to roll himself up in blankets, and as they did not cover the whole of his person he managed to secure an old dresi, and in this ' rig-out ' he sat on the verandah complacently smoking a cigar, and viewing existing circumstances and things in general from a philosophic! standpoint. At another house the pilot boat visited it was known there was someone inside; but access could not be gained by th« door, or the window either for that matter, as the water was up to the pane*, so the men had to knock some of the weatherboards out of the Gable End of the Cottage and get the inmates out that way. The rescued had managed to pile tables on top of boxes, etc, and thus keep out of the water. When the boats arrived from Napier (the missing four, I mean) they did not come altogether, but at long and distant intervals. They had got out of the beaten track — if there ever was one— and roamed about over fences, and one thing and another, fighting a hopeless battle against the wind, which in the earlier part of the day blew relentlessly in the direotion of Napier. The occupants consequently had a Very Baa Time. One boat got blown into a quantity of rushes, and despite the vigorous pulling of those entrusted with the oars, they were unable to make any headway for a considerable period. In fact, those not pulling had to grasp the rushes- for fear of being blown further back. When these boats did arrive at the Farndon railway station (or, at least, at the cooperage just above it) they had to be . drawn on land, and taken from there past the Farndou Hotel, over the big bridge, and placed into the Seething Water. This was accomplished by twenty or thirthy men or boys shoving or pulling the boats along the hard road — a task which did not present any agreeable feature about it. In the afternoon quite a number of boats, maimed by various

crews of volunteers, were out performing good work. Some people preferred stopping in their houses, but nsked that bread and drink should be sent them, and these requests were attended to by the police, Sergeant Cullcn, Detective Kirby, and Constables Kennedy and Norwood being on the spot. It was no easy task to go down to Waipureku, and no effort in this direction wns made until the nttcrnoon, owning to the strong tide that bad to be stemmed below the church on account of the creek. The loosened waters flowed at a great pace, and raced for the Ngurnroro river, through the township, co that those in charge of tbs boats had to manifest Considerable care, in their management. The flood went down considerably daring the day, no farther rain falling, while the flood subsided about three feet at Waitangi. The loss of stock all over the place is simply deplorable and thousands upon thousands of pounds have gone in this way. A cow, who had had a bad time all night, and who at last struck high and dry land on the railway line, was quite mad in the morning and a party who went out to Clive from Napier, and who tramped over the line, tell the story with a laugh how she wouldn't let them pass. She was Terribly Exoited and boldly faced them with a look a s much as to Bay ' I am looking after this Bmalt thoroughfare for the Government.' In vain did they pelt her with stones to induce her to shift, and there they had to stop for some time. They could not walk in any other direction owing to the water, and were consequently in a quandary. Eventually they induced her to move on, and got .past after her anger had cooled down. One of the most amusing yet withal sad and painful sights was to see a horse perched in the water on the steps of one of the churches in Clive. He stood there all the morning, and most of the afternoon. He got quite exhausted in the end, and eventually. Fell into the Water gave, a brief struggle as if striking out to swim, hia nose went under, and all was over. When the flood waters rose at the Waitangi on the night.previous the stock in the paddocks made for the highest ground— if there was any. In one paddock there was just one little piece of an elevation, and not only were some cows, horses and sheen observed thero'next mornjng—standing in the water, of course — but a flock of geese also. A sight of such a variety hnddling together in time of danger ia rarely witnessed. The poor sheep had to stand their ground steadily, for if they had moved they would likely have been washed away. An open bos of Clothes pegs. belonging to the Farndon Hotel were found in ono of the paddocks a long way away from the house, and there was not one of them missing. They had gone safely through various fences without mishap, and when discovered they were in a few feet of water, and the box seemed uncertain whether it would capsize or not. A pair of bellows, also from the hotel,' were found alongside* the pegs, and the surmise is that the pair travelled ia company. , Dosens of the other Incidents — both serious and trivial— in connection with the flood could be narrated, but they are too numerous to recapitulate. A dog — this is an authenticated dog story — lived the flood through under the house of Constable Kennedy, and came out when the flood waters had subsided. A strange thing happened at one house. A bott came alongside, and the father, anxious to get his little children out, opened the front door instead of a window. The current happened to be rushing furiously against the house, and as soon as the door was opened it dashed throught, and the force' actually carried out the back wall of the house . so that all the furniture, etc., in the room was taken away by the water in its mad career, and the inmates, lost their little all. However, they saved their lives, and were no doubt glad at doing .that under the circumstances. It is a very painful thing to walk about near Farndon and see the number of Unfortunate Horses and Cattle who can scarcely walk, not on account of exhaustion over the flood altogether, but ■ owing to having sustained literally hundreds of outs and gashes through being dashed against barbed wire fences. A number of poor boasts I saw this morning wer» suffering terribly, and one resident who was standing by remarked that in a district such as.Clivo was there should be a measure of some sort in force preventing people from putting up.barbed wire fences, iseeing that the place is so liable to psriodicaL floods. There are any amount of animals out there to-day who should be shot and put out of their misery owing to this. The loss of sheep has been Something Terrible. There has bten practically a clean sweep made of the whole district, and perhaps from twenty to twenty-five thousand as a rough calculation would bs very much below the mark. Then look at the enormous number of horses and cattle destroyed I The pecuniary loss of the settlers is indeed great, to say nothing of the furniture, personal effects, gardens, and houses that have been Absolutely Ruined. Just out of Clive it is not only a oase of water, water, water, but sheep, sheep, sheep, in every conceivable direction. In wire fences, on top of posts, supported by debris, on the road, in the hedges, and floating about all over the country, may be seen animals, who the day before collectively were worth thousands of pounds, but which are now worthless. Against one great high hedge fence out of the township is planted a large quantity of debris, and sheep by the dozen. Altogether it is a sad sight, and one pities from hit inmost heart those who have suffered through the TTnforseen Calamity that happened on Monday night. Nelson Bros, have lost a tremendous lot of sheep, while other suffereis are Messrs John Higgina, John Kelly, S. McGraevjr, Midgley, and others. I could not ascertain what had happened at the Grange, but there is so much high country in the estate that a lot of their sheep might have been saved. With reference to the Canse of the Disaster, very little can be said. The dam or groin in - the Tukituki had been doing good work all Monday, but in the evening such a great force of water came down that the whole lot could not go one course, and it cut straight through the Maori paddock, from where it proceeded to devastate the country. When the dam was constructed the river was not by a long way banked, but as it happens, no matter what kind of an embankment was put up it would never have proved equal to 'averting the accident which everyone is now deploring. The Sight To-day. This morning I paid a visit to Clive on horsebaok before breakfast, and many a etrang* sight was to be seen. The water had subsided considerably near the Shamrock Hotel had gone off, the road altogether at Waitangi, where the paddocks bad commenced to clear up. At Smith's Farndon Hotel, were to be Been dozens or bo enjoying an alfresco wash at the pump in front of the door. On the balcony were to be seen women and children dressed anyhow, while wet clothes hung about in careless intervals about the atruoturo. Inside children pranced gaily about Bookless and bootless, waiting to be taken into the breakfast that was awaiting them ; women looked after their charges, men swarmed in the passages and billiard room, half undressed in some instances, and on the whole the scene that presanted itself to the visitor was of a most unusual character. Mr Smith did everything he could for the homeless, and 'shakedowns' and food ware given everyone, besides all the available clothes in the hotel. The place wan so full of people that the proprietor himself had to sleep on the bar counter, with a bottle for a pillow. The Flood Abating. Going over the big bndge, it was seen that the flood had abated — that is to say, the rushing waters had receded, and in some places it was dry in front of shops and honses, but a foot or two of water lay in front of others. People rode through water to shops to get groceries or something to eat. The stores were being cleaned out, and it was found a great deal of damage had been done to goods packed on various floors. Boys

were paddling about in boats in an ! amiibing kind of stylo, others took off their boots and walked, while those whose I houses were high and dry were taking their goods find chattels out, and, placing I them in the sun, looked at them in a contemplative mood and bemoaned the great destruction wrought. The place is nothing but water, and Mr T.ascelles' and other places are beautifully hemmed in.