FLOOD IN DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 3318, 5 April 1879, Page 2

FLOOD IN DUNEDIN.

(Star, Maroh 28.) Last evening the fine weather which had prevailed for some days broke up, and a heavy sou- wester gale set in, accompanied by occasional squalls of rain. Still, a heavy rainfall was not anticipated, ; and few persons were prepared this morning to find that a flood had occurred which had done enormous damage in various parts of the town. Heavy rain set in. shortly before twelve o'clock last night, and, though it lasted for only a few hours, an immense body of water fell, coming down as if from a gigantic waterspout. It was generally thought that ample facilities for carrying off storm water existed in this city, bur. last night's experience tends to show that either such is not the case, or else that the Corporation's drainage system is not in proper working order. On this point we shall not offer an opinion, as most probably the question will come up for argument in the law courts ; it will be sufficient for us to give an idea of the damage which has been done. The principal sufferers appear to be the merchants and shopkeepers in Rattray and Maclaggan streets, down which a perfect torrent of water flowed. The former street presented an extraordinary spectacle this morning, for from the Robin Hood corner down to Bishop Moran's residence the kerbing and channelling on the west side of the street had been torn up by the force of the water, and scattered all over the road, while from that point downwards the channelling had at intervals of every few feet been scooped out, and holes excavated varying from two to five feet deep. The boulders forming the pitching were carried down to the level part of the street, and with the accompanying earth and clayey sediment from the hills spread over its whole width. Meanwhile, aa we are informed, not one of the gratings over the drains had been opened, and aa a natural consequence the water flooded the street and rushed into the cellars and ground floors of the establishments on either side. Mr R. K. Murray is one of the greatest sufferers in this part, and his loss may roughly be estimated at about L7OO. His cellar was stocked with sugar, lemon, and general confectionery, and all is more or less damaged. Mr Murray informs us that when be got up this morning at about 7 o'clock there waa 4ft of water in his cellar. Had the rain fallen 24 hours earlier the damage would have been much greater, as yesterday eight loads of confectionery wsre removed from the cellar. In Mr A. Solomon's pawnshop, directly facing the culvert, there was a layer of mud a couple of inches deep all along the floor, and the dirt had actually got into a Milner safe. Mr A, Mercer estimates his loss at fully L3OO, while Mr Isaacs has had stock in his chemist's shop injured to the extent of LIOO. The water penetrated North and Scoullar'd collar, and did an amount of damage to furniture which it has been unable at present to estimate. At the Shamrock Hotel the ground floor as well | as the cellar was flooded, and considerable losa and inconvenience to Mr Philp re-

suited. Messrs Hay man and Co., we believe, escaped with little damage ; but several other places on the north aide of the street did not get off lightly. Mr Court had fully four feet of water in his cellar, and his stock muat have suffered considerably ; while Mr Bailey's watchmaker's shop had a layer of mud some inches thick deposited on the floor. Another landslip took place behind Mr E. Pritchard's premises, and, descending on the roof of the smithy, wrecked it to such an extent that it has been impossible to resume work to-day. Along Maclaggan street also there are many sufferers, it appearing that some obstacle at the head of that street turned the water out of its proper channel, and across to the east side, where there were not sufficient means to carry it off, and it then flooded the premises along its course. In High street we hear that Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen have goods in their basement floor damaged to the extent of fully LlO,OOO, there being nine inches of water on the floor, which is about a quarter of an acre in extent. The buildings occupied by Mr M. Mendershausen, tobacconist ; Mr Pirie, hairdresser ; Mr T. Dodson, of the Empire Hotel ; and Messrs S. G. Smith and Co., of the City Butchery Company, have been completely flooded, to the serious loss of their owners. In George street a great deal of damage been inflicted, mainly through the body of water which came down York place and St. Andrew street. Messrs Esther and Low, grocers, estimate their loss at about L 100 0; Mr James Irvine, grocer, considers that his will exceed L4OO j and Mr A. Palmer, china merchant, loses fully LlOO. At Mr Coombs'a tannery a large quantity of leather and grindery has beeD injured, but. those that we have mentioned are only isolated cases, it having been impossible for us to ascertain anything like the full extent of the damage done throughout the city, but it may fairly be set down at some scores of thousands of pounds.