"OLD MAN" FLOOD

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 12, 14 July 1930, Page 8

"OLD MAN" FLOOD

(To the Editor.)

Sir,— Regarding your paragraph, An "old man" flood, that appeared in your news of the'day columns in Friday's issue, "Old Man" is an Australian term used mostly |by the country people, miners and_ wayi backers of Australia and Tasmania, in the early part and middle of last century. It was probably introduced into New Zealand by miners from Australia during the old goldfield rush days. "Old Man." literally means enormous, record size, larger than the average. 'The term "Old Man" was not confined to iloods, but was used to convey that the thing referred to was a great deal bigger than the average. For instance: "Old Mau Flood," above the average height; "Old Man Tree," the largest tree in the district; "Old Man Feed," bigger than, the average meal. Of the two floods that Mr. Justice Herdman mentions, I think the second was much higher than the first, and probably a record for the district", and that to an old Australian would entitle it to be termed an_ old man flood wihout it immediately coming on top of the first. "Old lian" derives its name from the "Old Man Kangaroo," which is a breed i two or three times as large as the ordinary roo, and was never very numerous. It had practically been exterminated in Tasmania in the 'eighties of last century, but I have no knowledge of its condition on the mainland of Australia. In the 'eighties the Launceston (Tasmania) City Council had one confined in an open enclosure in the city park. He was not less than j seven feet high when standing and heavy I in proportion. This breed, when hunted by dogs, would make for deep water, that it could wade in. When the dogs swam out to it it would hold them under water until drowned. If they were hard pressed by the pack they would stand with their backs to a treo. When the dogs rushed in they would balance on their tails and disembowl the dogs with their hind legs.—l am, etc., EX-TASMANIAN.