FLOODS IN THE NORTH.

Evening Star, Volume 12869, Issue 12869, 19 July 1906, Page 7

FLOODS IN THE NORTH.

[SrECIAL TO THE STAR.] GISBORNE, July 19. Settlers who have suffered from the flood are bearing up well, and vie with each other in putting the best face on matters. Strings of cattle were being driven along the main road yesterday away from the flooded area to better favored localities, and with the good heart in which settlers are showing and the ready assistance which will be forthcoming from other parts of the district, the losses sustained should soon bo wiped out. The- flood, from Patutahi, passed right through Opou. Mr Craill, the manager, took precautions to remove some of the stock on Monday, and on Tuesday morning there was no water about. About six o'clock he saw the water coming through the bush at a gicat rate. He roused the other men, and they set to work to remove their 6tock. One of tho men had a lively experience Ho was washed off his horse, and net being able to swim, managed to get out by catching hold of his horse's tail. The men lost about half a dozen of their dogs in endeavoring to remove the stock. About 140 of Mr Clark's stud sheep have been drowned besides 300 or 400 of other kinds. The river came over at Patutahi on Wednesday morning at five o'clock, just above Harding's crossing. All Lavenham was completely submerged, and the fences along the Wairoa road all carried away. Mr Tuohy anticipates the loss of all his stock at. Patutahi, consisting of ninety sheep and about eighty head of cattle. In going further up the Wairoa road one saw from 300 to 400 dead sheep lying in a paddock arid hanging on the fences, the property of Mr M'Cabe, who lost about 400. Mr M'lldowie lost about 250 in the next paddock. There was about 18in of water in Mr W. Robb's house, and owing to the swiftness of the current he had much difficulty in carrying his family over to Mr Sherratt's at Swarthmoor. The Lavenham Creek was impassable. The Lavenham losses included Mr knight's forty head of cattle and forty head of dairying cows of a fine quality, Mr Knight having for years been working up the quality of his herd. When the senous nature of the flood was realised all the young men of the district turned out in forco on horseback, and proceeded to tho houses that were in immediate danger, and in this way Messrs M'lldowie, T. Eade, Morrow, J. Atkins, N. Atkins, Catherall, and their families were relieved. They were all removed on horseback. A boat was obtained in the latter end of the day, and rescued Mrs Woodbine Johnston at Lavenham and her servants, and Mr J. Chambers and his nephew. The stock on the various properties visited were released by the cutting of the fences, the stock being driven to high ground. Mr Ovendon is a very heavy loser. Besides his pigs and fowls being "drowned, all his hives of bees, totalling 133, three-storey high, were washed away. The flood waters penetrated into the township as far as the hotel, people having to wade to their knees to get through. At Wa.irengaatuku a good idea of the desolation wrought could be obtained. The road was washed clear of mud in some places, the skin of metal showing clean and hard. In other portions there was a deposit of silt up to a foot deep. The paddocks were thickly encrusted with silt, acres at a. stretch showing no signs of vegetation. It was a veritable sea of mud on several farms, with lakes in the hollows.

As one rode along the loss of stock was painfully apparent. Heifers and calves were seen hung up in the fences in all attitudes. Cows and steers were less plentiful, their size and strength enabling them to battle against the rush of waters, which had been fatal to pigs, poultry, and the weaker creation. Pumpkins, marrows, maize, and other vegetables were strewn in great quantities along the road or held in the drift wood in the fences. Apart from the losses of stock, it is evident that small farmers will lose seriously by the destruction of their vegetable gardens and crops of various sorts. The greatest loss of sheep along the main road to Waerengaahika was that of Mr Con O'Connell. In one corner of a paddock there were twenty piled up in one heap. It is difficult at present to gaugo accurately the losses of settlers, owing to the fences being washed away. In all directions sheep and cattle have strayed, and mustering will be needful before each one's loss can be ascertained with any degree of exactitude. Wakauri was undoubtedly the cockpit of the Hood. Here the water" converged, and the settlers had an exciting time. Mr Walsh lost four head of cattle, and had a trying time saving others. Messrs Marshall and T. King were rescued early on Tuesday morning bv a boat from the Makaraka Hotel. Mr Marshall, the Makaraka schoolmaster, who res'des in Mr Dunlop's house, states that there was fully five feet of water over the property early in the morning. They packed up everything in readiness. His live stock practically only consisted of three horses, and these animals were saved bv being placed in the passage of tne dwelling; otherwise they would have been drowned.

Perhaps of the small fanners, the severest loss was sustained by a young settler (Mr F. J. Pearson) at Newstiad, who puts it down at fully £l5O. Out of his herd of fifteen valuable dairy cows only five remain. The whole of his pigs and poultry have disappeared. Mr Pearson was awakened early on Tuesday morning before daylight by the barking of his dog, and he went to attend to it. At the back door he was amazed to step out up to his middle in water. Witbout success he endeavored to rescue his pigs, 'and was next compelled to turn his attention to his family. Catching a fine chestnut horse, this animal was the means of saving himself and family. The horse made three successful journeys out, carrying Mrs Pearson and her children down to the Roseland Hotel. On the last trip Mr and Mrs Pearson, both astride thf> animal, wore submerged up to their shoulders at times, whilst the horse barely had its Head above water.

Undoubtedly the loss suffered by the Messrs Barron Bros, at Makuri was the biggest sustained by any settler. "The worst sight that t have seen." remarked one Makuri resident, and truly toe flood has not left such marks of havoc in its wake in any other part of the district. For over a mile its course is parked by carcasses of 1,100 sheep, which are stacked against the fences in dozens at a time, or lying in heaps on neighboring farms. The sheep were a choice lot of ewes in lamb, well worth £1 apiece. Out of over 1,200 Mr Barron estimates that only fifty were saved. Altogether a dozen boats were in commission in Makuri, and good work was done in removing families and stock. Tho .rescue of Mrs Walton and her six children was one of tho exciting incidents at Waerengaaliika. Before daylight on Tuesday morning three settlers wnded through the water, which was then rising rapidly, and found the ladv.' whose husband was away in town, huddled with her children on the beds. They were assisted on horseback out to the welcome refuge of the hotel. Mr James Harris, of Makuri, an elderly gentleman suffering from rheumatics, was rescued from his little cottage by two Waerengaahika settlers, the water being well up around the place. A Maori man and Maori woman who had boon engaged maize picking in Mr Foster's paddock at Waerengaahika, had a narrow escape from drowning. When seeking tho shelter of Waerengaahika they waded up the road, occasionally almost up to their armpits in water. Mr W. G. Jones and family, of Pouparae, braved the flood all day on Tuesday, but with night coming on and the water rising, Mr Jones despatched his son on horseback for assistance. A boat was sent, but could not make headway against the current. The family tben escaped from the house by the [windows, and got clear bV wading up to I their necks in water. I . i