THE LATE FLOODS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 303, 22 April 1897, Page 3

THE LATE FLOODS.

MISCELLANEOUS. The residents of Give have to thank Mrs H. O. Car.lt jn, Mr Fitzßoy, and others whose names were not obtainable for contributions of milk this morning. We have heen requested to state that a large can will be on the station platform daily, and contributions will be thankfully re-

ceived. Yesterday Mr Mac-kav, publican, of Clive, has still between 40 and 50 and children in his care. During the height of the flood he at one time had no fewer than 236 of the sufferers under his roof. Mr Warren's hostelry was also a refuge for over 200 sufferers. Under instructions from the Hon. Hall-Jones 100 pairs of blankets were sent from Napier to Give yesterday. Most of the inhabitants were without covering on Tuesday night, owing to everything in their homes being wet and spoiled. It is understood that the Minister for Public Works has stated that Government will provide for all absolute necessities for the sufferers at once, but that the question of aid to roads, bridges, &c., cannot be considered until the particulars have been laid before his colleagues, which will be done at the earliest possible moment. Government were anxious, he said, to hear the wishes and proposals of the public bodies. Passengers by the southern express yesterday arrived in Hastings at 7.45 last night. The early train to Farndon this mornings was crowded, three carriages having to be put on. A large number left by the coaches for Te Aute, to join the southern express, at 8.30 this morning. Communication by train between Hastings and Te Aute cannot be resumed until next week, probably on Wednesday. On the top of Te Aute grade a large number of men are at work. The general manager of railways. Mr T. Ronayne, is expected in Hastings to-day. Mr J. H. Richmond, engineer, is to be congratulated on the manner in •which he has carried out the heavy duties devolving on him through the floods.

The steamer Bella has started to run from Napier up to the Farndon bridge, where goods are transferred to the railway station, Coming on to Hastings by train. A gang of men is engaged repairing the Paki Paki bridge with all possible speed. Work between Farndon and Waitangi bridge is being pushed on as expedition sly as possible. In postponing the sitting of the Native Land Court this morning till to-morrow week, Judge Gudgeon expressed his sincerest sympathy with the Natives who lost so heavily by the floods.

It is understood that the representatives of local bodies w ill meet the Minister for Public Works and the General Manager of Railways on the latter's arrival. A proposal has been made that a temporary light line railway be constructed * round W aitangi and the wash-out. Timber for the re-construction of the Waitangi bridge cannot be obtained in the colony, and it is certain that some months must elapse before the old line can be restored to Napier. It is said that the light line proposal could be carried out in ten days. However, nothing definite will be decided until the arrival of Mr Ronayne. A fresh railway time-table to-day gives particulars of a service between Hastings and Napier and vice versa three times dailv. A bus is running between the Farndon station and the Waitangi ferry. The County Council bus secured from the Harbor Board the loan of three punts for the Waitangi ferry. Several Maoris from Pakowahi arrived in Hastings this morning seeking assistance as they were absolutely starving. Mr A. L. D. I* raser at once wired to the Minister for Public Works and to the Government placing "*■ the position before them. Instructions were at once forwarded by the former to purchase tea, sugar, tlour and other necessaries for any Natives in distress. The Pakowahi wants will be attended to immediately. Mr Fraser will personally superintend the distribution of all necessaries of life to the Natives. After leaving Clive yesterday afternoon the Hon W. Hall-Jones paid a visit to Papakura and surrounding district. lie found much poverty and suffering there, and orders for clothing dour, tea. ,ve., were given by the representative of the Government. At 2 o'clock this afternoon the Minister for Public Works accompanied by Messrs U. D. P. M'Lean, F. Lmwry (Parnell*. and R. M. Houston (Bay of Islands), M's.ll.R.. and Mr Fitzßoy (Mayor of Hastings), arrived in town, and immediately afterwards the party left on a tour of inspection to Roy's Hill embankment, where the Ngarororu burst through. The passengers by the southern express who spent Friday night at Takapan before leaving presented a testimonial to Mr Ingpen, the stationmaster there, thanking him for his ejtfreme kindness under the very trying circumstances. His attention to all, especially to the ladies, was a theme for genuine admiration, and when the train left :hr«« hearty cheers were given for Mr and Mrs Ingpen. Sixty passengers crossed the ferries this morning from the Hastings train. THE RELIEF FI N I>. The STANPAKn acknowledges receipt , f * 0111 the local branch of the Hibernian Society of a cheque for i**2 2s for the , relief fund. The following further donations j have be«n notified Messes H. Wli- »

lianas and Sons, ironmonger?, .€SO: Mr W. Douglas, £SO; Mr G. E. Sainsbnrv, £25 ; Archibald Clark and Sons, per Mr J. V. Brown, £25 ; proprietor Daily Telegragh, £2O: Wellington branch Bankof Australasia, £lO 10 s. Williams and Beetham, of Masterton, contributed £IOO ; B. Hallenstein, Wellington, 95 gns; Joseph Nathan and Co., Wellington, £25 ; W G. Turnbull and Co., Wellington, £25 ; Judge Ward, 20 gns. The New Zealand Times fund reached £9O 5s on ihe day the subscription was opened. Mr Martin Kennedy donated £SO, Mr John Plimmrr £25, and Mrs Thomas Kebbell £lO. Judge Gudgeon has given £2 2s to the relief fund. The Acting Governor has forwarded £SO to the Mayor of Napier. It is pmposed to divert the balance of the Hawke's Bay donation to the Indian Famine Fund (about £250) to flood relief. It is not thought likely that subscribers will offer objection to the course proposed. GOVERNMENT AID. A correspondent, " Opposition," writes as follows : " For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do." Sir, —As a "non-Supporter" and " Unbeliever" in the present Government it gives me infinite pleasure to see the promptness and the practical manner in which the present Government has answered Humanity's call. No one from the same distance could have been sooner on the scene of the calamity that has befallen us than the Minister of Public Works, and I feel assured that one and all will agree with me in saying that no one could carry out his national duty in a more practical and satisfactory manner than the Hon Mr Hall-Jones. He is not trusting to newspaper reports or to anything that he may hear or may be told, but is, with an efficient guide who thoroughly knows the district, personally visiting the scene of the calamity and thereby forming a sound opinion in a way best calculated to relieve the wants of the, many sufferers. We, the residents of Hastings, may think that we have suffered, and to a certain extent we have done so ; but if we want to see real suffering and privation, let us only visit some of the homes of the inhabitants of Clive and its neighborhood and as Mr A. L. D. Eraser very truthfully states we will there meet cases far mora heart-rend-ing and far greater than he was prepared to meet. And I very much doubt if that gentleman saw some of the worst of them. There are widows there that have with the pluck of the true British matron brought up their little ones without help from any one, trusting solely to what could be made out of their little bit of land, and perhaps a cow or two and a few fowls. Now all is gone. Then again we have the struggling settler who has worked hard to get a little home together, and has with care and frugality so far succeeded. Where is he now'? Of the aged pioneers who have struggled there for years and have now reached the usual span of life alloted to man, where is the comfortable home that they had only a few days ago, to spend in peace and ease their few more remaining days'? Clone. I can safely say that there is not a resident in Clive who has not suffered through the great calamity. The popular master of the public school, Mr Bissel, has also been a heavy sufferer, his dwelling house and most of his effects being totally destroyed by mud and water. The schoolhouse has about a foot of liquid mud inside, and lioks have been cut in the floor to try and drain it off. The well-appointed playground is now a thing of the past, being half way up the paling fence in pure mud.

No one can form any idea of what they have suffered in Give by only going there along the main Napier road, bad as that mav seem.

If your valuable space would allow there is one small matter more I would like to touch upon. It is not many weeks ago that I listened to a ■' Crabbe " and a I >.l>. —whatever these two letters stand for or mean I have not the slightest idea. It may be " Donble I'utch" or "Double I> x x x x x," it matters not. The said two lecturers gave us to understand that the publicans of Ilawke's Day were something incarnate, and should be shunned asone would shuu the Evil one. I believed the Crabbe and his holy mate, the I>.D.. at the time. I have changed my mind after seeing the way the publicans of Clive and Hastings have thrown open their houses to the homeless and their little ones, and doing all in their power to make them comfortable in their sad plight."