FLOODS OVER WEEK-END

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22445, 5 July 1938, Page 11

FLOODS OVER WEEK-END

WHEATGRO WEES’ POSITION EFFECT ON SEED ALREADY PLANTED LOW-LYING LAND COVERED BY WATER It was not until well into the afternoon yesterday that there was any cessation of the heavy rain that had swept the province over the week-end. For some hours there had been more favourable weather; but late last evening there was no indication that a distinct change was in prospect. The week-end rainstorm served mainly to accentuate the almost unprecedented condition of the land all over the province. It is many years since the country—particularly in the wheat belt—has been so waterlogged, and apart from the hindrance which this brings to current sowing, wheatgrowers in the low-lying areas fear that some of the wheat already sown will suffer from the sodden nature of the soil.

Kaiapoi District A fear that existed on Sunday night that the Ashley river would overflow its banks and inundate the lowlying lands adjoining was dissipated yesterday morning, when the waters had receded slightly, and this movement continued throughout the day. Yesterday afternoon the river was running well within its banks, and actually could have taken a considerably bigger body of water without a serious danger point being reached. Surface water, however, was lying freely on the flats, although this had commenced to disappear in the after-

noon. The flats behind Kaiapoi township were covered on the lower-lying portions, some fields being completely inundated. The low-lying lands in the Flaxton district, an area susceptible to flooding, were also submerged over a wide area, in some places less than a foot of the fence posts being visible. Some hundreds of acres of grass are covered to varying depths. The damage here will almost entirely be confined to pasture, as the land is cropped to a small extent. Nearer the township an occasional haystack is to be seen entirely surrounded by water. Except for the prevention of the egress of some surface water by the high state of the river, there is comparatively little inundation of the flats in the Woodend district. The tilled ground, however, in which there is a good deal of wheat showing through the ground, is waterlogged with occasional pools on the lower parts. The whole countryside, as a matter of fact, is in a thoroughly saturated condition, and it is feared that there will be damage to the more recently-sown crops. The Waimakariri river was considerably higher than normal yesterday, but it is below flood level. The cold weather is preventing anything in the nature of a thaw in the high country.

Report for Motorists Last evening the Automobile Association reported a slip at Teddington, near the Charteris Bay wharf, which, it was expected, would be cleared by Tuesday afternoon. There had been snow at Lewis Pass, but lands and flooded fields poured their water on to roads and tracks. Seagulls and ducks revelled in the great ponds of impounded water. There was a great deal of water over Shand’s Track, and all around the land was waterlogged for miles. Much of this land is already sown in wheat, and whenever farmers were met and spoken to they voiced the same apprehension over the fate of the seed already in and the prospects for future sowings. The Selwyn river was in high flood. At the bridge—the Ellesmere crossing—the brown, muddy water was only a few feet from the top of the planking. Towards Leeston, there was at least half a mile of deep water flowing over the gorse fence on to the road, along an old water-course. A long string of motor-cars waited for some courageous driver to make the first attempt. He did, and made the crossing without mishap. The others followed, sheep-like, with the muddy water splashing on to the bonnets. For miles there the fields were well under water, making as desolate a scene as one could imagine. Report of Cloudburst The only account given of the serious floods at Leeston was that a cloudburst had occurred in the higher country at Killinchy, and brought down the water towards Lake Ellesmere, through Leeston. At noon yesterday some of the homes in the low-lying end of Leeston were still surrounded by nearly a foot of water. Down the main road flowed a stream nearly the size of the Avon river, and it was obvious then that the earlier flooding had been much worse. Then the rain was still falling heavily, and the Leeston people were fearful that further flooding might occur. From Leeston to the city only minor floods covered the roads, but everywhere were the desolate, sodden fields.