INCESSANT RAIN.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17016, 13 December 1920, Page 6

INCESSANT RAIN.

FLOODS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. WHEAT CROPS BADLY DAMAGED. ("By Cable —Press _Af.-ocistior. —Copyright.) (Australian and X.Z. Cablo Association.) (Received December 12th, 5.5 p.m.} SY I>XK-Y, December 12. Though, the pi'.< iias passed, incessant, but lighter rain continues. All sports have been abandoned. hi th<- rain-swept areas rivers arc flooding, and much country is under water. There are many railway washaway s, and traffic is dislocated. Until the weather eie-nrs it is impossible to assess tho damage to tihe wheat crop l :, but it is very serious. Possibly the loss will run into millions, excepting in Southern lliverina, which, tip to tlie present, has not suffered extensively. Practically the whole of tlho wheat area was swept*. The south-west, central, and north-west districts arc most affected . Almost everywhere tho crops wero tall, heavy, and most promising, eonseqiieiitlv tho rain and wind wrougflu greater havoc than if they had been fighter. -Many thousands of acres ar« flattened badly, and damaged. If the rain continues, these crops will be completely spoiled. Later. Heavy rain fell throughout the night and is still falling, without the slightest indication of ceasing. Besides tho losses to crops, there is serious damage to house property and business stocks, owing to leaky rool's and invading flood waters. The sea is moderating, and shipping is resuming. Incoming vessels report a rough time battling through the heavy ser^. Numbers of country centres Report floods and rivers rising, with water from the high reaches still to como down. Tho outlook is disquioting along tho Hunter. Around eweastlo and Maitland miles of farm lands aro inundated. The latest news from tho wheat areas is gloomv. Torrential rain lias been recorded in the Maryborough district, Queensland.

MORE NEWS.

(Rcccrrcd December 13th, 1.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, December 12. A number of vessels which linTe been standing off tho port owing to tSio cough sens have now entered the-har-bour/ All report receiving a bad buffeting in tho storm. Tho only shipping mishap recorded is tho small et earned Timaru, formerly a New Zealand collier, which was wrecked in Jcrvis Bay while en route from Hobart to Sydney. It is understood that the crew cro safe. With tho exception of a short Sjwll during the afternoon, a driving •rain fell all day, and is again in fall blast to-night. Tho storm damngp in tihn metropolitan area is not serious, being chiefly in the form of leakages' and overflows. i News from tho country is measure, fcut the latest is more cheerful. The indications are for tho Tain clearing and the rivers subsiding. The worst has apparently passed st Newcastle, -where tfao river is falling, and the people returning to their homes.