FLOODS AT ASHBURTON

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 155, 29 December 1924, Page 8

FLOODS AT ASHBURTON

EXCITING RESCUE BY A MAORI.' (HI TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ASHBURTON, 27th December. Heavy continuous rain over.a period of forty hours caused almost a record flood at Ashburton. The river,, which .broke its banks in several places, inundated extensive areas, isolating farm houses.

An exciting rescue of a marooned family was .witnessed near the Ashburton golf links. Thomas Jackson, wife and child, of Auckland, also Patrick Mannion, an old-age pensioner, were *jn" a camp where, the river had broken its banks and surrounded the party. A Tinwald resident, George Wesley, a Maori, mounted a draught horse and negotiated the flood after a treacherous ride, and returned with the woman and child. Ho then brought the men to safety. About a hjmdred people who witnessed the rescue made a tangible recognition of Wesley's bravery. Twenty holiday campers on the river bank were forced to make a hurried exodus, in the middle of the night, the river rising over six inches in an hour. Grain aud grass crops throughout the country were extensively damaged. Several bridges were also damaged, and a number of roads rendered impassable. The pldest residents in higher country state that the rainfall is the heaviest ever experienced, and unless the rain ceases the Main South road will be closed to traffic.