DUNEDIN AND NEIGHBORHOOD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 919, 22 February 1868, Page 4

DUNEDIN AND NEIGHBORHOOD.

By the arrival of the s.s. Beautiful Star from Dunedin yesterday we (IndepeiulontJ learn that the heavy gale which passed dyer the province on Monday and Tucsuight, the 3rd instant, had the most dis- ■ astrous. effects. The streets of Dunedin were flooded — there being in one part of Rafctray street quite two feet of water — and much damage was done. From all parts of the country news has been received of houses, bridges, fencing, &c, carried away, crops and stock destroyed, and in several instances, unfortunately, lives lost. At Totara Station, belonging to Messrs Douglas, A Iderson & Co. nine persons were drowned. - Mr. Robert MAuley, tbe manager of .. that station, writing to Messrs Douglas, Alderson, and Co, on Wednesday, says, " It is my'painful duty to report to you a fearful catastrophe that visited us on Monday .night, about 11 o'clock. The Waiareka stream, which passes our house, rose all of a, sudden about two feet into our house ; and on looking out, the carpenter's house, the blacksmith's house, and the smithy had disappeared. In the carpenter's house were .Robert Louden, carpenter ; Mrs. Louden, James Louden, (son), and a little orphan girl. In the . blacksmith's house were James Glass, blacksmith ; Thos. Richardson, laborer ; Jas. Waddell, ploughman ; Robert Young, laborer ; Peter Dunn, ploughman ; all of whom were drowned. Six of the ploughiften encamped at the Waiareka paddock were awoke by a little dog yelping, and found themselves in the water. After escaping from the house they joined ; ••; litindjj, and by great exertion got on to : ; high ground. The mill has suffered little damage. The two fellmongeries, Messrs Lees, and C|pwther's, and another on the Xakanui, were completely swept away. ■;".;The loss of stock is notyet known. Dead , ; sheep are strewn along the sea beach and Bides, of the creeks. AH the bodies of ; (those drowned have been found except S'^^M^eter Dunn and the little girl." % Sergeant /Bulleu's report to the Com-:-;3 e :&i|sioner of Police states that the girl's ;^j f^tiamewas\Aimie Smith. Inquests had, /rlSPWednesdey, been held on the several 'jgb^i^ljm Mr; T. W> Parker, . R.M.

I Coroner, and a verdict of " Accidentally Drowned" was returned in each ca.se. Mr. T. Grant, son of Mr. P. Grant, of Granton, was drowned at the WestTaieri, and a man named John Chapmans, commonly calie'd " German Charley," lost his life while crossing Morrel Creek. At Tokotnariro a youug man named Draper, j a butcher, was drowned while attempting to cross the liver. . Tho Daily Times says : — " It seems probable tliafc the village of Outram that was, will cease to be a township. The river has sent a branch along what was, no doubt, an old bed ; so that there is a stream through the township, which wiil also effect the land belonging to Mr. D. Borrie." Ifc is supposed that Mr. James Shand, of Taieri, has lost 1000 sheep.