TRYING TIMES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19667, 10 July 1929, Page 11

TRYING TIMES.

SEDDONVILLE REFUGEES ARRIVE. ANOTHER FLOOD FEARED. Seddonville is a. township almost deserted by its women and children, for over one hundred of them reached Christchurch by last night's train from the Coast. About one hundred and fifty left their homes in the township yesterday, but only one hundred *nd twenty came to the City, the rest having left the train at various places to go to friends. The train was an hour and a quarter late.

The party was made up of 80 adults —mostly women—sixty-six children, and eleven babies. The refugees fear another flood at Seddonville, and thus all those who are not compelled to stay are leaving the place. Two engineers left the township yesterday to travel up to the place where the Mokihinui river is blocked by another huge slip. It is only about 20 miles distant from the township, but so tortuous is the road and so difficult the travelling that it will take them about four days to do the journey. There is no positive knowledge about another flood, but there is jor.bidcrLiblo apprehension. Cr. A. Fraer, Mrs J. S. Neville, and Mr H. S. Feast, of the Citv Council staff, journeyed to Springfield yesterday, where 'they met the party in charge of Captain Smith, of the Salvation Army. A few of the refugees had friends to go to and accommodation was quickly found for the others at the People's Palace, the Windsor Private Hotel, and the Trocadero. The Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) gave them a cheerv word of welcome on arrival at the station, telling them that they had nothing to fear from the 'baby" earthquakes wo had in Christchurch. The refugees will meet at the Council Chambers this morning to discuss future prospects. The settlers generally seem more cheerful than those who arrived in the City earlier. Some. of them have endured much, but have become resigned to their ill fortune. Many have suffered from lack of sleep and several mothers have been forced to travel with babies in arms, besides having other children to care for. The boys seemed to be making the most of the situation, which they seemed to regard as something of an adventure. Most of the party evacuated Seddonville on Monday afternoon, connecting with the express yesterday morning. Constant Anxiety. The experiences of all are, in the main, identical, bat naturally those with voung children suffered the worst hardships. One mother, cheerful in spite of all she had gone through, told The Press reporter that, with her seven young children—one a babe three weeks "old when the earthquake came—she slept for two nights in the fowlhouse. It was a draughty fowlhouse, too, she said, and the weather was bad. , . Another said that she had not had her clothes off at night since the big earthquake. It was not safe, for there were constant rumblings amongst the hills and they feared that these presaged more earthquakes. Only on Monday the stricken township was severely shaken and women rushed from their silt-stained houses with their children in their arms. Minor slips were coming down here and there in the hills, and one had the uncanny feeling that the whole countryside was perpetually trembling, though she thought that this must be more imagination than reality. Plucky Postmistress. Amongst all the deeds of daring which were done when- the flood descended on the township, that of the postmistress, Miss Mitchell, calls forth the highest praise from the refugees. Not through any sense of mock heroism, but because she knew that contact with the outside world might prove the salvation of the settlers in the crisis, she refused to leave her post at the telephone exchange, even though the swirling waters enveloped the building. The flood rose rapidly, but still she stayed on, and only when the water was up to her shoulders did she seek a place of safety. Her ordeal had its effect and she arrived last night in the care of friends in a very distraught condition. She is going to friends at Oxford. An Old Identity. The oldest refugee from Seddonville is Mrs Rogers, aged 86. Floods and earthquakes she views alike with philosophic tranquillity, for 6he seems content to take things as they come. She has spent many years in the township, where she has raised a family, and knows the West Coast as a place where Nature can assume many moods. Shortage ol Clothes. The residents axe not proud of the present state of their township, for everything is awry. Mud and wet silt are the most disagreeable features, and the flood has made many of the houses uninhabitable and rubbish is strewn all over the place. When the water was banking up last Thursdav, many said there was uo danger and few precautions were taken until nearly too late. Consequently many of the people—especially the children—are short of underclothing and gifts of this will be appreciated. There are al*o enough babies to fill all the perambuiators offering. , , The Mayor's Relief Fund is being drawn upon to minister to the immediate needs of the people.

Cause of Flood. The earthquake is, of course, responsible for the flood as it blocked the river with two slips. The first of these, near the town, collapsed suddenly and released the pent-up waters. The danger now lies in the collapse of too second slip, behind which there is thought to be a large body of water. Should this be released suddenly the refugees except that their homes will be drowned once again. The force with which the water descended upon the town may be judged bv the fact that it carried the town hall Eve chains down the road, whn© houses were swept off their piles and deposited in the centre of the road. The hall, in the course of its wild career, knocked down a store and a garage. Forty more refugees will arrive m Christchurch to-morrow night. GIFTS OF FODDER. (MtMS ASSOCUTIOH TBLKiaA*.) BLENHEIM, July 9. Yesterdav afternoon the Mayor (Mr M. McKenzie received a telegram from Mr Harkness, the Mayor of Westport, appealing for twenty tons of hay, chaff) and other fodder for stock in the Seddonville district, where the fields are covered with silt. The Mavor referred the matter to the Merchants' Association, who g° l busy with such effect that twenty-five tons were shipped bv the Komata today, and more is to follow, farmers have come forward with offers of fodder for the purpose.