“The Press” In 1865

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30943, 27 December 1965, Page 8

“The Press” In 1865

December 27 WAIMAKARIRI FLOOD.—It is idle to shut our eyes to the lessons taught by the floods in the Waimakariri of the last few days. We believe that the most incredulous are now convinced that the vast volume of water which is liable at times to come down the bed of the river is far too great to be restrained by any trifling or temporary works erected with the object of turning it into one or another channel. The two channels north and south, when full to the brim, were insufficient on Christmas morning to contain the whole of the waters which the melting snows in the central ranges were discharging upon the plains. Are

we to treat this as a wholly exceptional circumstance? or is there a probability of a frequent occurrence of such disasters? Although the present fresh has doubtless been the largest yet seen, still the experience of the past two years has shown that the situation of a considerable part of the town of Kaiapoi is becoming more and more critical; and if it be true that the great height of the water in the freshes be really owing to a permanent elevation in the bed of the river, the conclusion must inevitably follow that the position of all the lowlying part of the town and of the country on the island must become more and more dangerous.