DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Issue 625, 20 January 1870, Page 4

DUNEDIN.

(fkoai ovr own correspondent.) Jan. 9. Ouo of those periodical storina to which our addpted country seems so subject, nme on here early on Sunday morning last. The previous d»y had heon a very fine o»e, with nothing up till the darkening to give the slightest intimation that such a change waa about to tak.o place. The barometer, however, had been rather low and fluctuating all the day, and the wind, which had been light from oast, went round to tha S.S.E. during the evening, and about nine o'clock the sky waa obscured by heavy clouda. About two on Sunday morning rain came on, and by daylight was falling faat, and kept increasiug till ten o'olock, when a olose steady downpour, with a light wind, set in. By this time all the creeks and streams were rising rapidly, and aa there waa no cessation in tne rain, moat of them, by noon, were over their banks and doing damage. At midday the Leith, which for a few montha back has been a* a very low ebb indeed, had assumed the depth aiid breadth of a raging torrent. It first of aD carried away the fluming of Messrs Rennie and M ( Gregor's mill, beaidea destroying the dam 5 then it attacked the bank above Duncan's mills, and but for the energetic resistance made by a party of men, it would have done great damage there. The next item was the new footbridge over the river on the line of the old road, this was earned off bodily, and floated out to aea. A large tree jammed against the centre-piece of the new ; atone bridge at the end of Great King street, and for a time it seemed aa if the foundation would be washed off, but by lowering a man over with an axe it was cut adrift. Some distance farther down, a new bridge erected by the Maori prisoners waa carried off, and at the Botanic Gardens another slice of the flat ground was washed away. In other parts of the town a good deal of damage has. been done, though nothing of a very serious nature, the arrangements lately made by the Corporation for carrying off storm water being now mnoh more perfect than they used to be. The Kensington fiat waa all under water, and the residents there had to wade through pretty deep water to get to or from their houses, Great damage haa been done to the fruit in the gardens all ovn* the district. From the early nature of the season, fruit had arrived, at maturity at least a fortnight earlier than usual, and, so much heavy rain occurring has had the effect of stripping the trees and bushes of a large quantity, as well a3 breaking the branches, and in some cases, through the aoftening of the soil, bringing down the trees altogether. In the course <»f Sunday afternoon the rain moderated a little, and a strong S.E, gale blew for some hours, veering round to S.W, On Monday morning the ruin wag much lighter, and the streams about town had began to fall. In the country immense harm has been done on the linea of the various atreams. Early on Monday the Taieri plain waa an immense sheet of water, from Saddle Hill on the east to Maungatua on the west. Ifce farmers are again heavy sufferers. One life (Mr J. R. Hastie, of Dunedin,) was lost _ «t_ West Taieri. The northern rivers have been alao very much flooded, and all travelling waa at roped for several days. At Lawrence, and other mining centres, great damage haa been done to the claims and the works in connection with mining . generally. No intelligence has been received from places farther inland j but as the Clutha began to rise on Monday, it is feared that the same calamity has pre vailed, there tco. The weather still remains broken, with a good deal of rain, but the showers are short and light. The annual inspection of our Volunteer corps has been going on this week. The inspecting office? is Colonel Harrington, who is making a tour for the purpose. Om Wednesday •ven'.ng he inspected the Artillery and the North Dunedin Riflts, putting them through s, very thorough course of drill. On Thursday, tho South District and the Waikavi men \\<er« inspected ii\ Bnrr's paddock, Kaikorai. Last uiglit tho town companies proper, the City Guards, and the No. 2 Scottish, underwent inspection. Iv all cosea the Volunteers acquitted themselves credit ably, and were correspondingly complimented by the Colonel inspecting. This morning, a certain number of men picked specially by Col. Harrington from each corps, are to attend at the butts for bajl practice at the various ranges. In the afternoon the Artillery Company are to have shbt and shell practice at a target on Grant's Braes, and the Naval Brigade are to follow so it, A battalion parade of all the companies ia fixed for the evening of Thursday next. "