A SCENE OF DESOLATION

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 111, 11 May 1923, Page 4

A SCENE OF DESOLATION

FARMS SWEPT BARE

MISSING MAN'S BODY FOUND AT

GROVETOWN.

(ii mianiM.—fiues asmciatdm.)

BLENHEIM, 10th May,

The flood waters have now receded ■from Blenheim, and from the greater part of the inundated plains. The town is getting hack to normal, and settlers in the farm areas are beginning to reckon their losses. The Mayor's relief fund is growing steadily, and many substantial subscriptions are coming in.

The Lower Wairau is a scene of desolation and distress. When at its height the Wairau River gouged out a great gap in the stop bank in the vicinity of ■Whittle's bend, the water tearing across the country in a stream half a mile wide, and inundated practically the whole of the lower Wairau. It was the worst flood in the history of the district, faims and homesteads which, hitherto had been immune from floods, being deeply invaded. There has been a tremendous Joss of stock. This is borne out, in mute witness, by the carcasses of sheep hung up in barbed wire fences. It is still impossible to give any estimate of what the loss will mean. The farm* of some of the smaller settlers have been to all intents and purposes swept bare. Stacks have been overturned or ruined, and fences are down in all directions.

The body of the late Mr. E. E. Robinson, who was drowned in the flood, near Grovetown, on Monday night, was recovered about 3 o'clock this afternoon in about five feet of water. Mr. Robineon had thrown off his coat and shoes^and had evidently struck out from the'eapsized dray in the direction of Mr. F. Jones's house, as the body was found about 75 yards on that side of the dray. So far the body of Jack Gledhill, who accompanied Robinson, has not been located.

Spring Creek has more or less been cleared of water since yesterday, only the low-lying areas being affected now. The area immediately around the Ferry Hotel presents perhaps the moat desolate and dreary scene in Marlborough. The fences on both sides of the road have been washed out, and all the remaining fenecs are sagging under the weight of festooned weeds. At the back of the railway line, Mrs. F. Redwood's property has suffered severely. Her houße has been entirely surrounded by -water from Monday until thie morning. The stop bank on the Taumarina side of the ferry bridge has been broken through in several places over a distance of about a quarter of a mile, and the outlook in the event of a further rise is bad. Where the river flowed across the paddocks at ono place practically the whole top soil and grass has been removed, leaving a broad track like an old river bed.

The railway line in tho vicinity of Spring Creek is very badly damaged, the ballasting having been washed out here and there over a considerable distance, leaving the rails and sleeners hanging in the air. A culvert on the line was also badly damaged, and road communjcation between Blonheim and Picton is affected. This morning many cars made 'the journey. To-day, at Taumarina the flood invaded the' hotel to a depth of a foot, and most of the other buildings in the locality suffered severely. The x'ailway line here has been damaged pretty badly, but has been temporarily repaired by means of sleQp.ers and old rnilway iron.

There is plenty of evidence that Islington suffered severely, most of the houses being invaded to a. depth of two feet, while in some cases the water was even deeper. In the Grovetown district the waters have receded a good deal, but a large area, extending from -Air. F. Jones's house to the river is still inundated. It was in this area that the body of Mr. Robinson was found.

At Lower Wairau. Mr. Saunders and family had a mpst trying experience, in their home, which is near the bank of the Wairau Tiver. The water rose to an immense height, and they had to take refuge in a roof, being compelled finally to cut the roof open with an axe. The house is a. fairly old one, and a great of water made it literally rock, and but for the fact that a big macrocarpa hedge broke the current to a certain extent, Mr. Saunders declares the place would have been cairied out to sea. The family was rescued yesterday after being -without food for some time. Mrs. Saunders and hex four months old baby felt the strain of the experience greatly.

The southerly "buster" treated the area of Havelock Suburban, 22'-mile3 from Blenheim, to 905 points of rain, and the result was the heaviest flood since 24th October, 1900. Old residents declare it was tho highest flood, within their memory. Considerable damage occurred to fences in the low-lying flats adjoining the river, but there was not much lose of stock. There have been many slips along the hillsides., and this morning it was still impossible to net anywhere within reasonable distance of Dillon's Point, the "i&ole of the area being inundated and presenting a *orry'sight. The water here is receding very slowly, and it is believed it will be several days before the area ijs clear.