FLOODS IN SOUTH

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9697, 29 December 1924, Page 5

FLOODS IN SOUTH

ASHBURTON RIVER BREAKS ITS

BANK; AN EXCITING RESCUE. __ ASHBURTON, Dec. 27. Heavy and continuous rain over a period of forty hours caused almost' a record flood in the Ashburton river winch broke its banks in several p aces inundating extensive ai'eas and isolating a farm house. .An exciting rescue of a marooned' family was witnessed near Ashburton go 1 f links. Thomas Jackson, his wife and child of. Auckland, also Patrick Mannion, an old age pensioner, were in camp. 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 fide he returned with the woman and child. Then lie brought the men to safety. About a hundred people who witnessed the rescue made 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 an hour. . . Grain and grass crops throughout the country were extensively damaged several bridges damaged and a number of roads made impassable. The oldest residents in the higher country state that tlie rainfall is the heaviest experienced and unless the rain ceases the main South Road will he closed to traffic.—P.A. TIMARU, Dec. 28. As a result of phenomenally heavy rains in the Jback country, the. South Canterbury rivers are all irf heavy flood. Much damage has been done to roads, -bridges' and cereal cropdf Heavy losses of stock have been suffered by some settlers living on the low country adjacent to the rivers. Road traffic is seriously impeded through the swollen rivers.—P.A.