THE LAND SLIP AT JACKSON'S BAY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7626, 25 December 1886, Page 3

THE LAND SLIP AT JACKSON'S BAY.

HOKITIKA, Friday. Particulars of the Jackson's Hay disaster show that rain commenced to fall on Saturday; the <ith instant, and, with the exception of a few hours on Monday, an incessant downpour continued till the following Thursday. Tho hills were thoroughly saturated. At 9 o'clock on the night of the Bth tho inmates of the houses were startled by a loud rumbling noise, followed liy-a roar and rushing of waters indicative of the descent of an enormous mass. A sudden rush of muddy water surrounded the houses, and a boy, aged 13, a son of Mr Robinson, of the Royal Hotel, was carried away. Mr Hobinson, accompanied by the boy, endeavored to divert the How of water into another channel. While so engaged an enormous mass was detached from the mountain's Bide and rapidly advanced on them. Mr Robinson endeavored to clutch his son, but was himself knocked down, while the boy was overwhelmed and carried away. The body has not been recovered. At 3 o'clock on Thursday morning another avalanche of water and earth came down, overthrowing the fences ami outhouses belonging to Mr Macfarlaue, R.M., but it did not carry away the bouse, the occupants of which were rescued with great difficulty. . Shortly afterwards another terrific roar alarmed the watchers, and showed them what appeared to be tho mountain side moving slowly upon them. This mass completely stove in Mr Macfarlane's house, and Mr Robinson's hotel suffered equally, the kitchen being buried. The dining-room wall was crushed, and the mass hurled the piano through the partitionintoanadjoiningroom. The dividing room was completely filled with rubbish. Mr Robinson's garden and paddocks were covered to a depth of from six to forty fee,t, with trees, boulders, and mud. An attempt was made on Friday to clear away the mud, but fresh mud flowed in as rapidly (is tho other was taken away. The damage was not confined to the township, as the track on the Arawata flat was completely ruined by. the enormous slips. Suddenly, what seemed like the whole mountain side leaped into the air and precipitated itself into the sea, with a roar like thunder, causing the sea to surge up to thirty or forty feet, mid becoming a seething mass of foam _ for miles round. A huge fissure was cut into the mountain's side', down which the roaring torrents aro pourin?.