HAVOC WROUGHT BY THE FLOODS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21714, 22 February 1936, Page 16

HAVOC WROUGHT BY THE FLOODS

Acres of Farm Lands Swept TWO IMPORTANT BRIDGES DAMAGED BADLY Peak Flow in Ashley Highest Ever Recorded the floods in fiot th Cuttofrbury rapidly subsided from early yesterday morning, leaving a trail of havoc that is without parallel in that area for at least 68 years. North Canterbury, indeed, bore the greater proportion of the damage lir the province. In Mid-Canterbury, one of the molt serious effects of the storm has been the flooding of the Ashburton river, which yesterday morning so damaged the railway bridge as to stop the trains from crossing, Slips have blocked railway communication between Christchurch and the West Coast. The most serious damage has been done at Waikuku. Smashing down through Coldstream, over towards Wdodend, and then across to Waikuku, the flood devastated thousands of acres of farm lands, hurling with it Wheat stooks, stock, tree trunks, and similar debris. At Waikuku it went into houses that no Other floods have penetrated. On the beach the residents wertTextreme peril untf the water, which had been banking up in the lagoon, forced a channel to the sea. Extensive damage has been done to roads andL bridges, dislocateS services, the Main North road is impassable S Woodend, but It is possible to »»*£ from Christchurch by making a detour. Cheviot three bridges have been washed away. Just «*£» Woodend is a gap of 20 feet in the Main North ™*'J»«**l north, at the Ashley river, the northern end of ******* the approach on either side have been washed away. Communication between Parnassus and Christchurch by train is clear. On the toad to the West Coast no cars the West Coast train has been hed «j > !h« at Kowai Bush, but this will probably be cleared this mLmg Train PaSengers on the main south line had to make and Ashburton by bus, the from the south being carried away the mL too, Was blocked between Dunsandel. and Selwyn, but cars could get throngh by a detour. The flow k the Ashley river, which broke ■«£*£»■■?* No damage has been done in Is rising steadily, although the weather was still overcast late last night and a heavy drizzle was falling.

CITY ESCAPES LIGHTLY

LITTLE DAMAGE TO STREETS HEATHCOTE ROADS AFFECTED Surprisingly little damage was done to city streets and drams during the flood. In fact, beyond potential damage to road surfaces through the softening of lower strata there was no damage for City Council or Drainage Board officials to report. In Heathcote, on the other hand, there was fairly serious trouble on Dyers Pass road, Macmillan avenue, and Mount Pleasant road, the last of which has had to be closed. . The Mount Pleasant road was under repair at the time of the flood. Part of it was being lowered for widening, S^hrSSr^a . £de of Victoria Park, in Dyers Pass road, a big slip came dowrjovei r about 9nn vards of the road. The council fad Ten at' work clearing the debris away early in the morning, and by 11 cars were able to get through with difficulty. Mea will continue the work all day to-day. In Macmillan avenue flood waters undermined the road, and the surface collapsed. Cars were able to travel along the avenue, but there was much repair work to be done. The Drainage Board reported no damage at all. The two motors removed on Thursday as a precaution Sas damage from the_ sewer between the Dallington street bridge and the weir in the Avon were put back two hours later. There was a great pressure all day on Thursday in the storm-water channels, but no damage was done. ~ , . ~i t, Similarly the City CouncU had little trouble. There was a great deal of inconvenience suffered by residents in the suburbs, but beyond this there was nothing to report after stock had been taken of the position yesterday. There is, nevertheless, potential weakening of road surfaces through the entry of water into t&e lower strata, and much will depend on the weather during the next few months. One of the strangest features of the flood in the suburbs was the occurrence of trouble in districts, which are not usually affected, and, similarly, the comparative absence of flooding where it was njost expected. For instance, there was flooding in the north of Colombo street, and even in Canon street, where it has probably never occurred before, and at the same time Spreydon. Beckenham, and land about the Heathcote, to which council officials turn first, suffered very little Jrowktfce. flood, ,

MAIN SOUTH RAILWAY

SERIOUS DAMAGE AT ASHBURTON TRANSPORT OF PASSENGERS BY MOTOR-VEHICLES

' The interruption of the railway service on the main line at Ashburton began at 9 pjn. on Thursday, when the heavily-flooded state of the Ashburton river, which was rising rapidly at that time, caused concern for the safety of the south approach to the new railway bridge oVer the river. Members of the permanent way staff were posted to watch the approach for any sign of weakening or scouring, and at 9 p.m. the position was regarded as too dangerous for any further traffic, and the goods train from Dunedin to ChVistchurch was the first to be held up at Tinwald. Yesterday the early morning train from Ashburton to Timaru was made up at Tinwald, and about six passengers, together with luggage, goods, and mail, were conveyed from Ashburton to Tinwald by motor transport. The stationmaster and staff at the Ashburton and Tinwald railway stations were working at high pressure, and their biggest task occurred when the south express arrived at Ashburton. A fleet of motorbuses and motor-lorries was commissioned to convey about 200 passengers and their luggage, together with mails, to Tinwald, where a train had arrived from Timaru to take up the running to Invercargill. The work, which required to be carried out expeditiously, was well organised, and occupied about three-quarters of an hour. The passengers accepted the position goodhumouredly and assisted the authorities with the minimum of delay. Similar arrangements were made when the north express arrived at Tinwald last evening, and the passengers and their belongings had to be conveyed to Ashburton, and the train left for the north shortly after 7 o'clock, about one hour behind schedule time.

-Motor-lorries were kept busily engaged all day yesterday transporting goods between the two stations, those of a perishable nature taking precedence over ordinary goods.

i After an inspection of the damage by engineers of the Railway Department yesterday morning, it was decided to divert traffic over the old railway bridge again, and a gang of about 20 men set to work immediately to shift the rails and sleepers across bodily from a point near the viaduct on the Tinwald side of the approach to the old bridge. The men worked all through last night in shifts, and it is expected that the job will be completed to-day,

WAIKUKU LAID WASTE

AS&UIY SWEEPS INTO TOWNSHIP SERIOUS LOSSES OF CROPS AND STOCK HEAVIEST FLOOD FOR MANY YEARS i • • The heart of the area devastated by the flooding of the Ashley fiver was from Coldstream down to Waikuku Beach, but fortunately, the wall of water did not take a direct course through Waikuku. Had it done so, it is considered by the residents that nothing would have saved their homes from destruction. '.* he flood swept down towards Woodend, i smashing through the Main North road a few hundred yards on the north side of the Woodend church, and rah to the north through Waikuku and on to the sea. There has never, within the memory of old residents, been Buch a disastrous flood at Waikuku. Yesterday, a reporter from "The Press" who went through the district, found it a scene of desolation and destruction. Thousands of bushels of wheat have been tossed against fcices and across roads: sheep, pigs, cattle, and fdWls have been overwhelmed in the swirling torrent; houses have been invaded, some to a depth of i-ve feet, and their inhabitants forced to seek shelter; lives have been endangered, and there have been several narrow escapes from serious injury and even death; standing crops have been ruined. xue flood waters began to subside at Waikuku about 4 o'clock yesterday morning, and the level fell with surprising rapidity, but even late yesterday afternoon some of the roads Were under water to such a depth that cars could not get through, and as far as the eye could see there were huge patches of water covering fertile farm lands. Waikuku suffered extensively in the flood of May, 1923, but that of Thursday evening was considerably more severe. Houses that have always stood above flood Waters in this district were not immune on this occasion, and in one part of Waikuku the level of the water was three feet higher than it was in the flood of 13 years ago, which was the heaviest since 1868. Heavy Losses On one farm that suffered only a small amount of damage in the 1923 flood, the loss caused by the breaking of the Ashley on this occasion has been estimated at £IOOO. Nearby, at the Y/aikuku Wool Works, Ltd.'s premises, the damage has been estimated at more than £2OOO. At Waikuku beach j householders were in the direct dan-' ger, and had the tremendous pressure of water from the lagoon not forced an outlet to the sea, there would certainly have been tragedy. The most serious damage near Rangiora was done to the properties of Messrs A. C. Crotty, W. Stalker, and D. Pethig, 'on the horth side of Rangiora between the town and the. Main North road. On the back door of Crotty's house was a tide mark two feet high. Towards midday, when the waters had subsided, the garden be>hind the house was a wilderness. There were dead pigs that had been trapped in their stye by the sudden onrush, fences had been smashed and laid flat on the ground, everywhere there was slimy mud, root crops had been scoured out, and against alt the hedges debris was piled, in some places to a height of three feet. Crotty, like other farmers similarly affected, had been up all night, and after nine hour's of hard work had not yet been able to clear his house of the silt covering the flbbrs. Pools of muddy water lay all round the house, and the ditches along the main highway were running brink high. Havoc at Coldstream Towards Coldstream there was widespread havoc. On each side of Gresson's road, in the path of the detour from Rangiora to Waikuku, stooks of wheat had been caught by the hedges and fences. Debris was strewn across the road, one of the oostacles that had to be avoided being a large portion of a haystack. Some of the roads, nearby were impassable. On one a car had been abandoned, and was lying against a fence. The road was under water to a depth of nearly three feet, and it was impossible to get closer than 300 yards to the abandoned car, except on a dray or by wading. Branches were a common signt along the sides of the roads. Sometimes a massive tree trunk could be seen. On a farm owned by Mrs Robinson, facing Gresson's road, there were great patches of earth from which a potato ', crop had been torn. Wheat stooks had disappeared, to be carried for miles,; perhaps. On Mr D. B. Robinson's property there were considerable losses' of stock, and Mr Robinson and an-j other farmer who had been helping him i to bring in stock when the flood was | breaking through the farm had had to swim for their lives. By their work that night, Mr Robinson and his assistant saved 60 sheep, 1 but in the morning all but three of these had been carried away by the encroaching deluge. The work had been for nothing. Of a flock of 103 sheep, only three remained. On a neighbouring farm owned by Mr R. P. Robinson, the water swept across 15 acres of potatoes, uprooting much of the crop. Only a small percentage of the crop will be of any value. Of 12 acres of wheat, not one sheaf remains. On this farm and on others in the district .fine crops of white clover have been aestroyed. Sorry Sight at Waikuku But by far the sorriest sight is at Waikuku, Parts of dozens of wheat crops were piled up against the rear wall of the open storage sheds on the Andrews Twine Company Ltd.' s premises, which face the Main North road Here and there the carcases of sheep were embedded in the pile of wheat, and the huge.weight oi the debris had pushes the wall of the sheds out of the perpendicular. Near all the fences on the property were countless logs and stumps. The wire fence fronting the road was almost flat under the weight of wheat, logs, and tow from the fibre stacks. Mixed up with the mass were petrol fauns, on which the stacks are built to keep the tow off the ground. Scores of these drums had been hurled across the main highway into the sections opA pack of tow weighing about scwt

DAMAGE BONE TO WHEAT

DISCOLOURATION OF MANY CROPS FUTURE WEATHER DECIDING FACTOR It was impossible last night to make any reliable estimate of damage done to wheat crops in the province, and it was stated that much would depend on the weather for the next four or five days. There was certain to be a great quantity of wheat blackened by the storm, it was stated, and the weather for the next few days would determine the fate of * great part of * Mulholland said that the south-easterly warm driftte.which was falling in the country back towards the mils last night was the worst that could possibly follow such a downpour as the province had known on Thursday and in the land nearer the ■*. sea wheat growers were alsO Unlucky in having -warm and humid weather. Unless the next few days brought a spell of dry weather the effect on the wheat crop would be serious, but it was too early yet to make any estimate of damage. . . ■ It was stated last night that the auantity of Wheat actually destroyed by the storm, and washed away. Was Only a very small proportion of the total crop, and that the future of the remaining grain depended in great part On the weather Within the next Reports' from the foothill districts behind Geraldine yesterday stated that hundreds of acres of UnCut Wheat and oats were "laid" by the rain and were sprouting fairly badly. Generally, the rain will have a very bad effect on the Wheat in the district, through discolouration, and much Wheat Which Would have been first grade, Will now be only of second grade quality. Stock everywhere is also suffering from the continuance of the alternate wet and dull weather, ahd heed a spell of sunny weather to condition them.

that had been carried across the road had smashed against a garage on the property of J. Scott, and wrecked the structure. Underneath the mass of corrugated iron that had been the garage was a motor-car against which wheat sheaves had piled themselves. Mr Scott's house and those occupied by Messrs J. SinCOck and H. Tomlinson—the three are on tne corner of the road turning from the main highway towards Waikuku beach—suffered severely A tree stump about seven feet long by four feet thick had been thrown across the gateway Of one of the houses, and debris was piled high against the fences. The residents had to leave their homes, for the water rose to a height of four feet, and the majority of the furnishings and the personal belongings of the inhabitants were badly damaged. Silt covered the floors to a depth of up to six inches. ftoffgy Sections By midday yesterday the water had receded, leaving the sections a slippery and in parts, boggy mass, littered with wheat stooks and logs. Two large sections of a corrugated iron fence flanking Mr Jones's section were earned away, one to a distance of half a mile. Petrol drums from the twine works were lying about the section. Clothes hanging on a line at the rear of Mr Sincock's house were badly soiled by the muddy water. ( . . The water began to subside about 4 o'clock yesterday morning, but four hours later it was still knee deep on the Main North road. One Waikuku resident, Mr A. Ward.-who .waded out into the flood on Thursday evening, was almost carried off his feet, being saved from falling by Mr SihcOck. Had he fallen he would have had the greatest difficulty in regaining his feet for the swirling water was more than four feet deep. These three properties received the full force of the flood, for the flow from the Ashley was augmented by that from the Waikuku creek, which crosses the Main North road to run along the side of the road to the beach. The flood was considerably higher than that of 1923, and at the Waikuku Wool Works, a few hundred yards down the beach road, there was a depth of nine feet in one shed. That was three feet higher than the 1923 flood. Wool stocks in the storage sheds and in the main building itself were damaged, the water having risen so swiftly that it was impossible to shift the stocks out of danger. Although it was impossible to give an accurate estimate, the manager of the works said that the loss would probably total between £2OOO and £3OOO. Dead Sheep Along Road Along the sides of the road to the beach could be seen dead sheep, swept off the property farmed by the Stokes Brothers. Not a stook had been left of 50 acres of wheat on this property. Flood waters had never been into the house on the property, but Thursday's deluge swept through it, leaving a trail of mud and damaged furniture. Another farmer at Waikuku, Mr J. Tull, lost 12 acres of wheat, 20 acres of white clover, and 20 acres of potatoes. He managed, however, to save all his stock. Although his farm is only a mile from the Main North road, Mr Tull had to make a detour through Rangiora of five miles % to reach the main highway at Waikuku. . A boy named Cedric Thompson, who was staying near Waikuku Beach, was marooned in the open all night, but did not suffer any ill elects. He had left his home to visit friends, but could not reach them, and when he attempted to return he found himself isolated. Residents at Waikuku beach had a terrifying experience as the flood rushed into the lagoon and piled up the water. They were isolated, and in extreme peril. But the tremendous pressure of water forced an outlet from the lagoon to' the sea, and the rising flood rushed madly awry. Yet many a home had water up to the mantelpiece, and residents broke into unoccupied baches on higher ground for refuge. Shortly before midday yesterday boats were carted from Waikuku to the beach to rescue the maroonea residents, who were in two groups separated by the lagoon. Accident on Lagoon Early in the morning there was nearly a drowning accident on the lagoon. Charles Dymock and Matthew Russell, who had been ferrying some of the residents across tne lagoon, lost control of their boat. As it was swept under the bridge across the lagoon, Russell jumped up and caught hold of the understructure, pulling himself to safety. But his leap upset the boat, ahd Dymock was carried away towards the sea. Fortunately he was swept against some broken telephone wires and was dragged to safety. Later, the bridge over the lagoon collapsed under the pressure o'f water, breaking three yards from both ends.

Just after midday "The Press" car got past the Little Ashley, which was in flood just out of Waikuku. It was the first car to get through. The water was then over the runhingboatds. Less than a mile further on the road was blocked, the Ashley river bridge being impassable. On the* south side, part of the approach to the bridge had been washed away. The bridge had been washed away at the northern end, as well as part of the approach. A house and an orchard on the south side of the bridge were under five feet of water, and all the crops ton the property were covjered with silt to a depth of two feet 'On the other side of the toad all the [crops had been lost on iW farms.

DIFFICULTIES IN TRANSPORT

SEVERAL MAIN ROADS] IMPASSABLE MOST TRAIN SERVICES RESTORED ENGINE DERAILED ON THE METHVEN LINE Transport by road and rail throughi out the province yesterday was still seriously hindered, and though most of the train services have resumed, several main highways and many more secondary roads are impassable. Trams were running as Usual on the north line last evening, but tto rO&d traffic could get farther horth than MotUnaU, or farther west than Springfield. The West Coast train service, after running part of yesterday, was delayed by a further slip in the afternoon. No trains are running to SOUthbridge and passengers by southern trains had to travel by car between Ashburton and Tinwald because of damage to the approaches oi the Ashburton bridge, over which trains could not run. The Main south road was open to traffic, though a detour had to be made between DUnsandal and Selwyn. The Railway Department carried out a very smart piece of work in the re* storation of its services, and laßt evening the only lines that were not open were those to the West Coast and to southbridge, though passengers had to be transported in buses between Tin* wald and Ashburton. The magnitude of the departments task and Of its achievement is realised when it is recalled that almost all lines in the province were scoured or washed out by the flood. The north line was cleared yesterday afternoon and by last evening trains were running as usual right to the terminus at Parnassus. The Culver* den line had also been cleared and though there were slips on the Oxford line and it was badly scoured near Fernside, ho inconvenience was caused, since no goods train was scheduled to run yesterday. The Midland line to the West COast was the first to be cleared; gangs worked throughout Thursday night in repairing the washout at Staircase, and the line was opened for goods traffic at 6 a.m. yesterday. Passenger trains ran to the West Coast yesterday, as well as extra goods trains, in an effort to make up for lost time, but a further small slip occurred yesterday afternoon near the Kowai Bush station, just past Springfield, and last evening four trains were waiting to get through from the western side. It was hoped that with the extra trains from both sides of the Alps, accumulated traffic would have been disposed Of yesterday to ajilow of the resumption of the usual service to-day, but delay will now be caused, although it was hoped to have the slip cleared by this morning. South Express Late The most serious problem to be faced by the Railway Department was the disruption of the service southward through damage to the approach of the recently completed bridge over the Ashburton river. Passengers had to be transferred between Ashburton and Tinwald in buses and urgent goods were taken in lorries. It was hoped to have this line open as usual by midday to-day, though there will be no goods services until the service is completely restored. The southern express was two hours late, and the steamer express was delayed until 10.10 p.m. The southbound Ihvercargill express yesterday morning lost two hours and a quarter through having to transfer passengers at Ashburtoh. The Southbridge line was still impassable yesterday, and no trains ran, because of the Selwyn river overflow ing its banks at Lake Ellesmere and causing a washout of the line. It is not expected that any train will be able to get through to Southbridge until this evening. Again yesterday, as on lThursday, pupils of the Technical. Co-

lege who gravel by train en «h«-South-bridge line were unable to return nomt. '• - ~ Train derailed The train from Methven was derailed when crossing a noodetl part of the line just past Lauriston about 2.30 yesterday afternoon, but no serious damage resulted, as the train was pulling, only a guard's van. The train had successfully crossed that part ©t "Safe tote on the journey to Methven earlier in the day, but by-the time it had returned scouring had occurred. The front bogey of the engine was moved about two feet off the line and slewed round. The 15 passengers were taken by bus td Rakaia, where they con* > nected with a train for Christchurch. A breakdown train Was sent from Christchurch, and it was expected that the mishap would be made good with little difficulty. No road traffic can travel farther north from Christehurch than Motu* nau, because of damage to three bridges between there and Cheviot. The piles of the bridges at Friday's Cutting and at Foster's Gutting were swept away and both approaches to the bridge at Greta Paddock were lost. One motorist described the Foster's Cutting bridge as "hanging by one bolt," The Ashley river has torn a gap about 20 feet in the Main North road at Woodettd and traffic from there to Motunau has to go by a detour along the back roads. The northern end of the bridge across the Ashley on the Main North road ahd part of its approaches have been Washed aWay. The damage to the road is the most considerable to have been suffered for many years. Officers of the Rangiora County Council said last night that damage to roads in the county would take almost a year to repair. From Cheviot on to Blenheim the roads are at least passable though they are rather treacherous, and one passenger car which reached Parnassus oh Thurs* day before the damage to the bridges blocked progress, continued Oh to Blenheim yesterday. NeWman*s southward-bound buses from Blenheim have had to stop at Kaikoura, Where yesterday, there Were three car-loads, comprising more than 30 passengers. Cars Were able to travel from Hahmer to Christchurch yesterday, Every ford was washed out in the Oxford County and the only way to get to Oxford is by roads on which there, are no fords. At Cooper's creek, a water-race flume was destroyed ana the road Was scoured out, the Value of the damage being estimated at more than £IOOO. Settlers Isolated Settlers in Lees Valley were isolated and access to and from the valley was impossible through the destruction of the approaches of the two bridges. ' Road communication between Christchurch and the West Coast is impossible because of the state of the road between Springfield and Cass. There, Water-courses have scoured out the road severely and cars which attempted to get through from Springfield yesterday had to return and Were railed through. The roads from Christchurch to Springfield and from CasS to Arthur's Pass and on to Greymouth are passable. A few hours brought a surprising improvement in the state of the road from Christehurch to Akaroa. which late yesterday was safe and clear and not very slippery. There Were a few minor slips, but though water was a foot deep in some parts in the morning, the level of Lake Forsyth subsided rapidly and later the road Was in good order. •South Road Blocked The Hawkins river, a tributary of i the Selwyn, Was running very high and prevented all traffic between Coalgate and Darfleld. A bus running to Whitecliffs, instead of crossing the Hawkins near its source, had to make a deviation southward toward the mouth of the river and cross at Greehr [dale, which the flood waters in the ! river had not then reached. The Main South road between Selwyn and Dunsandei was blocked but traffic could get through by making a detour to* Ward" IrwelL In Mid*Canterburv. the main road between Methven and Lyndhurst was blocked and motor-cars had to make a detour northward by way of High* bank. There was scouring oh many of the roads in South Canterbury and several culverts were washed away. The Orari river was in very high flood throughout yesterday and overflowed its banks in places, doing damage to farms, though no damage was reported to roads and bridges. A car travelling from Lake Coleridge to Dunedin missed the road at Geraldine, and continued on, via Orari, oh Thurs*day night. Swerving to avoid another Car at Orari, it capsized in a flooded ditch, which was carrying about four feet of water. The two occupants spent the night at Orari. It is yet too early to estimate the extent of the damage to roads and bridges in Canterbury, as much will depend on the weather in the next few days. Engineers are hoping for warm, sunny dayß, which will assist the task of making repairs. Officers of several county councils have been surveying the damage in' the last two days, and though some counties have escaped more lightly than others, in some places the flood has been the most destructive for many years. What has crippled transport most severely is the washing away of approaches to bridges, which have shown themselves to be the most vulnerable points. At present county engineers will concen<trate in makin* the main highways usable.and it will be a long time before; all secondary roads are reconditioned. Bridges have been damaged oh many secondary roads and temporary crossings will have to be used. STEADY DRIZZLE IN OTAGO MINOR DAMAGE REPORTED (*tt*ss isibcUTioit tiLtoajkii.) DUNEDIN, February 2J. After several days' gloomy weather, drizzling rain began to fall oh Thursday afternoon, and has continued ever since, with heavier showers during the night and throughout to-day. CJon-r ditions outdoors were unpleasant, but no damage or flooding is reported around the city. On the Taieri plains standing crops were slightly tiamaged. Crops in BtoOk were completely soaked, but the extent of the damage to them depends on the nature of the weather during the next few days. In North Otago the damage will be more considerable, as; conditions were more severe in the north: The only interference with transport was on the road north of Glenavy, and there was a small slip on the railway Una at the Otepopo tunnel, near Hampden. Otherwise the roads are all cleat, and the trains have been running to schedule. In the city the rain is welcome, as it has greatly increased the supply in the reservoirs, which was so low as to be causing concern. The total since Thursday afternoon amounts to more than 2.5 inches. The rain has extended south to Gore, but has been chiefly coastal. No considerable falls have been reported from Central Otago.

RELIEF WORKERS ]

MEN 'PRAPBED IN ASJttLEX " CAMP NO HARM tfBOM TOO-ftT IX*- ' THB QPKN »,."■■ All the relief workers who Were isolated in a camp, on the north side of the Ashley river on the Main North road were rescued, yesterday Without mishap The river cut off. the men on an island left by the flood Waters just north of their camp and between the Ashley river and Saltwater creek. The rescue party of four, led by the engineer>-inMcharge of the works, Mr R. Mclntyre, took two hours to wade' from the bank Of the rive* to, the camp, a distance of about a mile. At times the water wag chest high. The isolated men were brought. across to the mainland in groups, and transported to Rahgiora by truck and car. Then they were sent to their homes ttt Christchurch. Although none of the workers was injured and none nf their property damaged, the Public Works Department has lost a considerable amount of tools and equipment.

The . rescue party, consisting - of Messrs Mclntyre, F. C. Torlett, 1... J. Stanaway, and K. Calvert, set out from ftangiora at daybreak. The men had to walk over a considerable stretch of the approach to the Rangiora traffic bridge, from where they were taken in one of the departments trucks. The route chosen was along the lower Ashley road, but when the party reached Mr Barnes Wylie*s farm. the road was found to be impassable. Hbwever, the party found 12, of the workers from lite camp sheltering at the farm. They had escaped from the camp early on Thursday afternoon, and spent the night in a hayloft. Taking the sunken road along the hdrth bank of the river hear Mr Hiram Orchard's farm* the patty appjx>ached With the truck to within a mile of the isolated men, but for the rest of the distance the rescuers -had tb wade* This part of the journey took them two hours. The return journey was commenced about 10 O'clock, the men being sent across the dver in batches. There were ho mis- ■ haps Oh any of the trips, and the men who had been marooned were hi good spirits When they were found. During the night the water rose until it was lapping the under side of the huts. Five of the men attempted to leave the camp on Thursday evening, but a break prevented them from' getting far along the bank. When they attempted to return, they found theit retreat cut off by another break, so they had to spend the night on the bank. They were included in the 4S ( men rescued by Mr Mclntyre's party, i FEARS OF FtOOD IN | KAIAPOI RESIDENTS REMAINING UP THROUGH NIGHT There were fears of flooding in kaiapoi early this morning, and residents in some low-lying houses near' the Cam river were preparing last night against having water in their homes. The water, which was part of the big overflow from the Ashley river, was at 1* a.m. rushing through three culverts on the railway embank* ment ana it waa considered more than possible that it would cause flooding in parte of Kaiapoi. ■'■'>'<■< ■ <~ Some*of the t residents were remaining ugfcithis morning, .waiting* Coßsee how high the water might rise, in order to take what action they could to protect their houses. Furniture had,, been piled high above the floor, where possible,, in some houses. It was hot expected that the flood would be a. serious one, but the speed With which the water was .coming through the three railway culverts, designed to take normal storm water away from the railway line, was giving r*se to much anxiety.

SELWYN COtMTY

DAMAGE

OVERFLOW FROM RIVER BLOCKS TRAFFIC

There was 2ft 6ifl of water'on the main road between Dunsandel and Selwyn yesterday morning, the road being impassable for motor traffic from early in the morning until mid-afternoon, although horses and carts Were able to tet through. This water Was an oyfcrow from the Selwyn river about two miles away. Eye-witnesses at that stage stated that water Was very high indeed on the Selwyn traffic bridge. Motor traffic in the morning was able to make a detour between Dunsandel and Selwyn by going downstream for some miles. At 9 o'clock last night tha water on the main road had gone to a depth of about four inches, but the detour at that stage was almost impassable, the flood water having reached this lower road. The Hororata bridge, on the DarfieldArundel main highway, had part of the north approach waßhed away, but a temporary 20 foot span was erected yesterday and the bridge wlls reopened to traffic at 6 p.m. Further west on the same road, about two miles from the Rakaia gorge' bridge, Camping Gully ford was, scoured badly and is impassable. Two gangs of men will be at work there 1 to-day. The alternative route aroundthe Zigzag is still open to traffic. The main damage in the Selwyn County consists of scouring, of roads, especially near Hororata, Glenroy, and Whilecliffs. A number of small bridges and culverts have'bden damaged. In general, the damage to roads and bridges is small considering the heavi-" ness of the rainfall.

The heaviest rain&lfc I togven years was ing incessantly ♦*» S* .iMmlsilM^M. o'cibek yesterday abated. Both the teAxlWlggWEM' rivers tbse rapidly j ahd fit bank high, the to within a «hort pire Hotel, which tl^P^iH|BH? was (ftily wfth'ft\ich„ transport north carried oh, ihany tpmSltMlHe obtain the others to tow their mdtbr3£pi|HMHHtt Borough Council was alt day in clearing 4)wrg^|^H^K through the borough, banks, but did no outskirts of Temuka ttahyj/JjgWMh are miniature lag<»nS, v taken temporary :-6helt«F4fflKyHHs tehees. Farmers with harvested will be outtoaliißMH«£ amount of not be resumed at "MSmjgBUBKE* the eastern end ot the partially marooned i$ ImHHp access being particularly 4 p.m. the Temuka and 33pJ|£||HjJHg] had subsided consideraWy?w^H^«ph