DISASTROUS FLOODS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 80, 12 March 1924, Page 5

DISASTROUS FLOODS

RIVERS BREAK THEIR BANKS TWO LIVES LOST THOUSANDS OF SHEEP DROWNED ARTILLERYMEN S DASH FOR LIFE

Disastrous floods, caused by yesterday’s phenomenal rainfall, have resulted in the los s of two lives, the destruction of thousands of sheep and many cattle, and widespread damage to private and public property-

Both the Ngaruroro and Tutaekuri rivers broke their banks in several pices, and completely inundated all the low-lying land between Whana Whana in the south and Eskdale in the north, where the Esk river, swollen by an abnormal volume of water ’ spread over the valley.

Thomas Hill, a Public Works employee, was swept away in a hut and drowned in the flood waters of the Esk river. The other death was that of Phyllis Miller, seventeen months old. who was buried in a slip which smashed th e rear of the house in Shakespeare road, Napier.

Comparable to the great flood in 1897 the present conditions are more catastrophic in the respect that they came with startling suddenness- Outlying settlers had little or no chance to remove their stock to safety and in some cases were compelled to look to their families first

Losses of stock have been heavy. Thousands of sheep were drowned in the Pakowhai district and it is expected that settlers in other parts have also suffered severely.

CHILD BURIED ALIVE.

FATALITY IN NaPIER.

HOUSE SMASHED BY HUGE SLIP. A seventeen-montlis-old child, Phyliss Miller, youngest daughter of Mr. and Airs. Miller, 101 Shakespeare road, Napier, was buried alive at 4 p.in. yesterday, when a huge slip 40 feet high and 30 feet long crashed into the rear of the house, smashed two rooms, and lifted the building forward six feat.

Before the main fall occurred, several huge boulders crashed into the rear of the building, and then the rest came with a deafening roar. The three children and their mother were standing at the front door; two of them rushed with their mother to the street, and the youngent turned back into the building. She was not seen again. The rear of the building was smashed in, and the whole house was lifted forward two yards by the impact. When the crash came the huge mass of debris completely smashed the two rooms at the back —one a kitchen and the other a bedroom. The chimney fell into the kitchen, smashing crockery right and left, and destroyed the contents of both rooms. Round the house, the scene was indescribable —rocks, and earth and wood piled up in all sorts. of shapes. The water coming down the face of the hill that turned the place into a veritable scene of mud, both inside and outside the house. Practically all the furniture was destroyed. Part of the slip caught a corner of the .house next door, and swung it round several feet. It will have to be reset on its foundation.

Digging operations were continued, the men straining every nerve and muscle to locate the child. The mud and water had to be baled out through what remained of the passage, and emptied in the front- The men centred their efforts on the right hand room in an endeavour to locate the child, but the mass of timber and iron made the task difficult. The work was abandoned at 10 p.m., as all hope of the child being alive was given up. THE BODY RECOVERED. The body of the child was recovered at 9 o’clock this morning after digging operations had been continued for three hours. Judging by the position in which it was found the child must nave headed for th© washhouse, but was caught by the slip about two feet away from the face of th© cliff and buried in four foot of debris. An inquest was formally opened this afternoon and ©videnoe of identification was given by the father.

MAN DROWNED AT ESKDALE. WASHED AWAY IN HUT. Thomas Hill, an employee of the Public Works Department, was drowned in the Esk river at 11 a.m. yesterday after being washed away inside a hut at the Waipunga. The last hut of a row on the bank, was washed away by the rushing waters of the Esk river as they rose with startling suddenness and carried down the stream. Hill, who was inside the hut, had no warning of the danger and in an instant found himself struggling in the swirling waters. Several men swam out with ropes in an endeavour fo reach Hill, but, swept against trees and rocks, they failed to reach him, and he disappeared. The hut and its contents were also swept down by the rushing waters. Sergeant McLean and Constables Murray and Martin immediately set out for the camp, but could not get within seven miles of it, owing to the flooded roads. At this time, the camp was completely cut off. THE TUTAEKURI.

SEVERAL BANKS BROKEN. HOUSE SWEPT AWAY. Early in the afternoon the Tutaekuri was rising swiftly and at 4 o’clock was nearly up to the stringers of the Redcliffe bridge. The logs of wood combined with the speed of the water, were a source of danger to the structure. However, the bridge held against the increasing strain. Some time earlier, however, the waterhad so much pressure behind it that it broke through the Donnelly bank at Waiohiki. With a breach in the defence, which widened every minute, the waters rushed through and completely inundated the surrounding country. Millions of gallons rushed over paddocks.

The next break occurred in the vicinity *of John’s road, where the banks gave way. Being in a direct line with the on-rushing waters, Mr O’Shannessy’s house was carried several chains away, after being lifted off the foundation. This shows the force and volume of the water. MORE BREAKS. Further down, the river broke its banks at Meeanee and the land on either side was a sea of water in a few minutes. Between Awatoto and the river, the water found a ready resting place, while on the Meeanee side it soon covered the low land. NGARURORO RISES RAPIDLY. ADVENTURES AT FERNHILL. SETTLERS RESCUED. Owing to the repeated and* the insistent reports regarding the danger that threatened the residents of Meeanee and Taradale, and the swift rise of the Tutaekuri, which

swept down through the plains with terrific suddenness after yesterday morning’s cloud burst in the back

country, two representatives of the “Tribune” took car at 3.40 and set off to make investigations. The height of the storm seemed to have spent itself before it reached Hastings, where at two minutes to three, almost the instant that Sir Andrew Russell calculated it would reach the town ‘ from Tunanui, the first thunderclap proclaimed its arrival. The wind blew with a driving force from the south-west and although the rain was far from reaching the proportions of a deluge, it was a heavy ; downfall, which the tempest hurled • before it in gusts, drenching all in > its course. It was not an inviting prospect then that called the pressmen ; on their quest into the violence of the . weather, but equipped for their jour- • ney they set off via Omahu, passing i between Fernhill and Stortford Lodge j big mobs of sheep being driven to the ’ saleyards. These at any rate were • safe from the flood. In crossing the bridge at Fernhill they cast an anxious glance at the ’ Ngaruroro, down which muddy water was flowing, but it was a relief to note that the bed of the river bed was not by any means covered and that large areas of shingle islands and banks wore observed bare at the Hastings side of the river and in other places towards the centre. Continuing their way, the motorists met cars returning who told them that tiie road farther on was impassable and when they got to Crissoge (Mr. \V. Georgetti’s property)' they were called to a sudden halt by the advancing waters of the Tutaekuri. This was just on 4 p.m. and they drew up well clear of the fringe of the flood. It was an uncanny feeling to watch with utter impotence the creeping flood making its way in a steady flow apparently from nowhere, over the paddocks, invading the road in a gentle swirl and nosing its course deliberately relentlessly forward until, in a few minutes, the load was completely conquered and the waters invading with a long line of tiny waterfalls the cultivated land on the opposite side, where extending’ its front in irregular formation it continued its stealthy movement, irresisably, implacably, on its work of destruction. The moving waters seemed instinct with the fell, unhurried, but unfaltering and invincible purpose of submersing tlio land. Leaving the car high and dry they walked into the shallow waters and as the outlying premises of a residence on the opposite side of the road was even then being invaded, they went up to the house, about 50 yards from the road, where they were met by a middle-aged lady, dignified, calm, somewhat disdainful and quite undisturbed by her threatening surroundings. She told the visitors that the padclocks opposite, already sevenoights under water, at a low depth, belonged to Mr. Georgetti and that he. was sure to have arranged for the safety of some few sheep and a couple of horses that were standing at the verge of the incompassing waters. On being asked if anything could be done lor her she graciously but firmly declined any assistance, at the same tune expressing her sense of the kindness that prompted the offer. As the pressmen departed they had to wade through the flood flowing up the drive towards the house. On returning to the car after an absence of a few minutes, the vehicle which had been left high and dry, quite clear of the flood, was surrounded by tlio flowing water and the pressmen had to drive through lully twenty yards of flood to dry land once again.

On recrossing the bridge at Fernhill. they were amazed to find that the river which had only partially coverec its bed only twenty-five minutes previously, was now a rushing torrent, running bank to bank, and bringing down big tree trunk and debris. At about 4.25, the Ngaruroro river guage, which shortly before registered three feet above normal, recorded nine feet and it is no exaggeration to say that an observer could see the water

gradually swallow up the figures, so quickly was the river rising. At this stage two men on horseback, drenched to the skin and jadad, pulled up and told the watching group at the bridge-end that the Potter family had been in grave danger, but that they were then being rescued from their dwelling on horses. They asked the newspaper men to drive back about half a mile and pick up Air. and Mrs. J. AlcCutcheon, neighbours of the Potter’s, who, with their six weeks’ old infant, had been rescued in the nick of time from their flooded home in a boat. No time was lost, and recrossing the bridge the car met a beraggled and entirely exhausted party, consisting of Air. and Airs. AlcCutcheon. the latter carrying her infant, and another lady and her menfolk. the whole CQmpany, tired out, famished with the cold, and wet to the bone, except the baby, which was warmly swathed and comfortable in its mother’s arms. They were quickly conveyed to the Fernhill Hotel, where Mr. and Mrs. MacCormac received them with open-handed hospitality, administering restoratives and supplying them all, including the child, with comfortable clothing. Mr. McCutcheon told a reporter that the waters had invaded his house and had gradually risen to the edge of the table and then to his waist. He could see nothing but disaster when his brother William, hearing calls and seeing the danger, securing a boat and succeeded in delivering them from the imminent danger that threatened them. They lost all their stock and their home was ruined. The Potters, who were rescued and housed at Air. Hildreth’s, on the hill, also lost everything, including sheep and cattle, whilst Mr. W. A. Marfarlane was also a heavy loser All this did not occupy mure than a quarter of an hour, and having seen to the McCutcheons, the watchers by the bridge were rejoined, when it was lound that the river had riven three feet in the

interval and was now swirling past at the 12 feet mark. Some then asked if the car would go along the road again to pick up some other floodetricken people who were trudging to Fernhill, but on reaching the other end of the bridge the driver was faced with the spectacle of the big dip in the road—which a few minutes before was quite clear of flood water—running like a mill race and to cross it was impossible, so there was nothing to do hut t© return. The flooding of the road was caused by the river overflowing at the Omahu side of the bridge and the dip, as well as the adjoining paddocks, quickly became a struggling volume of debris-burdened water. This, of course, relieved the pressure on the river bed proper, but notwithstanding this considerable relief the guage still registered 12 feet above normal, demonstrating that the flood had still been increasing, though it had such an increased spread.

Thousands of sheep and cattle had been reported as lost, but the flood swollen Ngaruroro bore no carcases on its tide.

At 5 p.m. every preparation was being made at Fernhill for an overflow of the river, but no actual danger was anticipated and the motorists left for Hastings, trusting that, when the rivers had dealt with the tremendous pressure of the great cloud burst that must have broken in the back country, the channels would easily deal with the result of the ordinary rainfall and the flood would as rapidly subside as it had risen. It is satisfactory to record that the Hastings district ’was never threatened, notwithstanding the giganticvolume of water the rivers were called upon to carry. NO TIME FOR WARNING. /In, llara(lale the waters rose more rapidly than has ever been known, and poured over the big bank in many places each several- chains in extent, before it was possible for any alarm to be given. The bank broke near the end of St. John’s road, and Air. O’Shaughnessy’s house, which was alongside, was swept away about a distance of a quarter of a mile. It was only a matter of moments before the whole of th© district extending from Alurphy’s road to the Church of England at Aleeanee was a seething mass of floodwater. The main road to Aleeanee was covered to a d<spth of over three feet. Rescue parties were quickly organised under Constable Gartley, who was later joined by Sergeant AlcLean and a party of police from Napier, valuable work being done.

REMOVED TO SAFETY. Nearly 60 people were removed from endangered homes to the Taradale Hotel and other places. Air. F. O’Connor, the hotelkeeper, did all he could to make the unfortunate ones comfortable. From Taradale to Napier was a huge sheet'of water. Communi cation was cut off with Napier shortly after 6 p.m., the water being over the bonnets of cars at Greenmeadows. At 7.30 the water had dropped nine inches at Otapara bend and this indicated that the worst was over. It was feared, however that if the Ngaruror river came in the Clark’s Dip the consequences would be serious. Fortunately, although that river did come in, the water steadily receded and at 6 o oclock this morning it had gone down about five feet.

THE NGARURORO. PLIGHT OF SETTLERS. HEAVY LOSS OF STOCK So sudden was the rise in tre Ngaruror© that settlers, although warned from Whana Whana when the flood water began to come down, did not have time to remove treir stock to safety. At Pakowhai the river rose six feet in half an hour- Early in the morning, the Ngaruroro bed at Whana Whana was only slightly covered with water. A few hours later, it was a rushing torrent increasing *in height and pace every minute. The possibilities of saving stock at this stage wer fc very remoteTHE TTJKI TUKL * FLOOD LEVEL NOT REACHED. The postmaster at Waipawa reported this morning that a high wind and light rain prevailed throughout the night- The river, although high, had not reached flood level and appeared to be subsiding. FLOOD AT ESKDALE.

DAMAGE TO RAILWAYAlthough early in the morning it was not expected that the Esk river would cause trouble, it rose six feet in about half an hour as the result of a solid downpour of rain for an hour. The bed was unable to cope with such a volume of water, which rapidly overflowed into the valley. The railway embankment was washed out in several places, trees were uprooted, fences broken, and hundreds of pounds’ worth of damage done in a short time- A lot of Public Works plant including winches, concrete mixers, shovels, etc., was carried ayay- Besides this, the line has bene damaged to such an extent that it will not be repaired for at least three weeks.

DAMAGE IN NAPIER. MANY ROADS BLOCKEDFLOODS IN BUSINESS QUARTER.

About £2,000 worth, of damage was done by water which flooded cellars of Robjohns. Hindmaish and Co., merchants at Port Ahuriri. The damaged goods were mostly groceries etc. Late in the afternoon there was five feet of water in the cellars, and it was rushing past outside at the rate of several knots an hour from the hills-

In the town, the water rose rapidly in Hastings street from th© Post Office down, and entered several shops before many minutes had passed. Tram traffic was suspended for a while and then resumed but slips in Shakespeare road again stopped the service- One of these slips—half way between the Post Office and Fitzroy road—nearly blocked the road- A hundred yards past McGrath’s store, there was another slip in which 20 feet of the hill face came away.

FLOODED THOROUGHFARES. All day the Borough Council staff were kept busy trying to clear blockages in the mains. This task was practically impossible owing to the volume of water that fell for hours continuously- In fact, it would be impossible if one did not see it. to have an idea of the scene in Napier. Emerson street, Tennyson street. Hastings street, Browning street and Church Lane were amongst the most important thoroughfares to be flooded. Shakespeare road was more like a rushing torrent than a thoroughfareEarth and rocks were washed out from the sides of the hill, and swept down to the junction of Browning and Hastings streets, where the silt was piled up a foot thick. This completely blocked the main outlet to the seaSHOPS INVADED.

When the rain eased off, many of the blockages cleared away but the flood continued on and off till eveningMotor traffic was one cause of the flooding of the shops, as the waves frequently forced their way in the doors. Minor damage was done to stock in several places. Thorpe’s boot shop was barricaded in front with boards and bags, but this was not a sufficient protection against the water. All the streets were covered with silt and

rubbish, particularly at the corners. In many cases it was a foot thick. Several Council employees remained in town during the night to clear the drains should there be more heavy downpours of rain. An inspection of the hill roads rt:-, vealed numerous minor washouts, while the roads were badly scoured. Heaps of silt, etc. were piled up everywhere, phowing the havoc done tu the highways, which were riddled with ruts. Those that had recently been repaired were stripped of their surface. The storm has certainly undone all the repair work of tlie last few months. NAPIER SOUTH. Despite the phenomenal rainfall, there was little surface water m the residential portion of Napier South. At some corners of course the channels became blocked and flooded the streets, but this was only in isolated cases. McDonald Street and Kennedy road were the worst, the former being a sheet of water. ‘ ‘ RUSH IN G TORREN T. ’ ’ One resident described Carlyle street as a “rushing torrent” and that’s just about what it was. Water from the hills rushed down the side streets into Carlyle street, where many houses were invaded. At one time there was two feet of water near the old recreation ground, but this quickly subsided when the rain ceased in the evening. Motor traffic on this thoroughfare was considerably hampered, many cars and lorries being stranded. MILTON ROAD BLOCKED. Numerous slips occurred on the hills, and fences were wrecked, by huge boulders which crashed on to the roaus and became a source of danger to traffic Milton road was practicaally blocked late in the afternoon by a big slide, which came down with a roar. Shakespeare road is also blocked here and there by falls of earth. Many hugh boulders, sopie weighing half a hunderweight were loosened from the cliffs around Breakwater road, and crashed on to the roadway. One particular portion of the cliffs, which lias been “hanging fire” for a long time did not come down fortunately. AT THE PORT.

Similar conditions to those in the town prevailed at Port Aruriri where the scrool was surrounded by water. Th© children had to wade through it to get to the road. The rush of water from Shakespeare road swept down Waghorne street carrying with it silt and gravel eaten out of the roadsides. Channels became blocked and the >o.i<ls were quickly flooded. In regard to the damage at Robjohns, Hindmai sh and Co.’s warehouse, it may he said that for some time before the flooding the staff was at work clearing the cellars of the goodsThis was continued till the workers were waist deep in water, then their efforts were abandoned. EFFECT ON SHIPPINGin the Iron Pot, the channel and the outer harbour, the sea was worked into a heavy swell b ythe wind- Trawlers and other vessels in the Iron Pot strained at their moorings, and it almost seemed at one stage as if some of them would break away- However the abatement of the wind prevented serious mishaps. Two vessels had to leave the breakwater.

NORTH ROAD BLOCKED. MORE B{£ SLIPS. Road communication with Taupo and Wairoa has been blocked by slips between Petan© and Eskdale and on the road to Tangoio. Only on© service-car got past th© Tangoio stream , which became impassable in no time* Slips Rave also come down on the Taupo rpad. which will be closed for some time. Flood water, of course, prevented communication with Taradale. TREED MAN RESCUED. A PLUCKY FEAT. After being ten hours in a poplai tree with the flood waters surging round underneath, Donald Straucnan, an employee on Mr. W. Kinross White’s station at Taradale, was rescued by Pat Kinross White, who swam out on a horse. “It was one of the pluckiest acts that I have ever seen,” said one of the constables on the scene. “If ever a man deserves a medal, Pat does.” The first time White tried to swim out with a rope, but the current was too strong, and he had to give up. Not to be beaten, however, he secured a horse and courageously faced the dangers of the flood. Progress was slow, but gamely sticking to his task he reached the tree. Strauchan, who by this time was numb and stiff, came down with difficulty. He got on the horse’s back, White getting off and grabbing the horse’s tail. After a lot of trouble and danger they got on to the high land. It was a spectacular fescue. Strauchan first went up the tree about 2 o’clock.

Sergeant McLean and several constables went out from the Napier Police Station and attempted to rescue Strauchan. by means of boats at 8 o’clock. Tlie boat was launched at the end of the golf links, near Holt’s place. Progress was all right until they came to a bend, where th© water was rushing past lik© a torrent, and despite every effort, Hie tide forced them back. After coming back a little way. the party found niat th© boat was on top qf a gate. The return journey was made safely.

CAMP WASHED AWAY,

ARTILLERY MEN’S ADVENTURE “LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.” t “Some of us are tremendously lucky to be alive,” said Captain A. E Lawry in a graphic description of the effect of the flood upon the battery camp at Eskdale on Mr- F- Lopdell’s propertyThere were 100 all told in the camp, and it is a tribute to th e spirit of the men and officers that no casualty was recorded. As far as is known at present, only two horses were lost, besides the camp equipment etc and personal belongings. “We had a thunder clap early in tho morning which struck one of the tents” said Captain Lawry, “all the time it was raining in buckets full.” One resident said that he had never known the water to come over the ground on which wc were- About 8.30 the Esk river began to rise rapidly- So as to have things ready in case of danger, we packed up what we could- Then the river rose five feet in fifteen minutes. After getting one load of stuff away, we decided to strike camp. The transport got close to the camp, hut was prevented from going any further by the advancing water- A bridge behind them collapsed and the men on horses had to swim for it ” “By this time the men had already made a dash for safety, but it was a close go, as the whole of the valley was under water. Many of them had to swim or wade through waist-high water. In order to get the horses away we had to break down the fences. After getting on to the road the men were quartered at the Eskdale Hall and provided with hoi» drinks. Thon we set out for Petane across the hill where the road was nearly completely blocked by slips. Tn the meantime we had arranged for lorries to be sent out to collect the men and bring them into Napier. The battery officers came along w.ith the rear party, and had frequently to wade through stretches of water waist deep. We reached Petane about 4,30 soaking wet, tired and cold. It

Was not very’ nice, I can tell you. When we left the camp the water was knee deep and it was still rising. It is occasions like these that show the spirit and courage of our men. Their behaviour was excellent, and in many instances heroic, particularly battery drivers and n.r.o.’s.” Captain Lawry said that the officers and men were indebted to Messrs. Lopdell, T. Clark and Saunders for assistance given. RECORDS OF DOWNPOUR. ESKDALE AND NAPIER. According to tlie gauge at Nelson Park, Napier, 6.84 inches fell between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. yesterday. From the midnight previous, th© fall was 7.1 inches. Mr. J. M. Coleman registered an even greater fall on Hospital Hill, wher© 9.52 inches wer© registered. Mr. Coleman said that practically all the fall was from midday to 6 p.m. That is an average of l|in. an hour. Mr. Clark. Eskdale, reported yesterday that 16 inches fell between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. BRIDGES WASHED AWAY. DAMAGE TO ROADS. Several bridges in and around the district have been washed away and others damaged. Th© latest information regarding bridges and roads is as follows:— Eskdale. hill road blocked from end to with slips. Napier.—To Pohue road approaches to Munn’s bridge washed out. Petane.—Eskdale road: Men ar© being put on this road to open it up as soon as possible as it is now the only route to Eskdale. Wharerangi road: Lucky Hill Bridge washed out. Napier-Taupo road: Lucky Hill bridge washed away. Fernhill bridge: Part of approach washed out. Napier-Petane road: Stone breastwork badly damaged. Tutaekuri bridge badly * damaged. TUTAEKURI RIVER. At 7.30 yesterday morning the river at. Redcb'ffe bridge was about two feet above normal, but there were no indications to cause alarm. Rain began to fall incessantly and soon after 9.30 a.m. th© river rose with alarming rapidity, and reached its zenith at 3 o’clock, being up to the stringers of the bridge. Owing to the pressure Donnelly’s bank at Waiohiki gave way just before 3 o’clock and in a very short time the Nattv© reserve and the easterji portion of Pakowhai were enveloped with flood waters to the depth of over three feet. Considerable damage to property and heavy losses of stock arc reported in Pakowhai. being about 5000 sheep and several herds oi dairy cows. NOTES FROM CLIVE. The people in and around Clive spent an anxious time last night. The ’Ngaruro banks held well, and at no time was there there a danger of their breaking. The water, however, being joined by tho overflow waters from the Tutaekuri, near the estuary, backed up the creek on the Clive side of the river, flooding all the country between the Clive-Napier road and the Clive Grange road. The Clive people set to work, and before midnight had all the settlers removed from their homes in the danger area. In the Cliye township itself the water was waist deep across the road opposite the hotel. The Clive people lent a willing hand to the storekeepers to lift their goods to a higher level out of reach of the floods.

There was a fair number of sheep lost in the flooded area at Clive, Mr. Joo Lloyd losing from 300 to 400. The flood waters reached their highest level about midnight, but the river .mouth was exceptionally good, and the flood water got away quickly.

Some anxiety was felt regarding the safety of the Clive Bridge. On one pier on the Clive side a considerable mass of timber collected. Tt is stated that the bridge at this point has sunk 6 inches. Had the Whakatn railway Bridge given way to the tremendous drain. nothing could have saved the Clive bridge. LOSSES OF STOCK THOUSANDS OF SHEEP DROWNED. Mr. W. Richmond says that IUUU of his sheep were drowned. Mr W. Macfarlane has lost the whole of his fat sheep, valued at £l7OO, as well as some 80 bullocks, at Oamarnui. Mr D. E. Davis, of Pakowhai, has suffered the loss of the whole of his dairy herd —between 60 and 70 cows. Mr Davis, who was formerly in business in Hastings and a member of the Hastings Borough Council, had only undertaken farming pursuits a few months ago, so that his loss is a very heavy one.

Mr Van Asch, who is a heavy loser of sheep, is reported to have been mustering his stock and was in the act of cutting tlie wire fences to get them out of the paddocks, when the flood water* suddenly inundated his tend, and he had to make a bee line for safety. Mr T. Harris, Papakura, is said to have lost about 700 sheep. It is reported that one of hig employees, while mustering the sheep, hall a narrow escape from drowning. Mr Tattersail, Papakura, sustained a loss of about 800 sheep. Mr Shrimpton’s country was covered and all the dairy .country at Waiohiki was under water and it is feared that considerable losses have resulted.

INTERRUPTED COMMUNICATIONS RAILWAYS AND TELEGRAPHS After the Wellington-Napier express got through to Napier lastlnight, railway communication ceased anil the 7-20 train did not get beyond Hastings. This morning, owing to washouts and the fact that the bridges at Whakatu and Karamu were considered unsafe, communications could not be resumed and the ordinary 8.5 and 9.29 a.m. trains to Napier did not run. Owing to the ‘Wellington mail train being marooned at Napier, a train was built up at Hastings and was dispatched to schedule time- A train leaving Hastings for Woodville followed the mail train, but the usual 7-30 am. mixed train to Woodtille did not run.

The Hastings Post and Telegraph Department reports that all telegraph lines are down between Hastings and Napier. Communication however, is still being maintained by a few telephone lines which are still in working order The telegraph lines follow th© railway but most of the telephone lines follow the road.

The Napier mails were received in Hastings at noon to-day and those for the South will be sent forward as soon as a train is despatched, probably not until 5-11 pm. to-day. Tne mails for Napier by the Palmerston train will be despatched by motor car this afternoon-

An empty guard’s van was utilised as the postal car on the mail train from Hastings this morning. Two officers from the local office accompanied the train to deal with the mails- A letter mail was despatched to Napier at 9.30 a.m- by a “Duco’’ car. which got through the flood waters via Waitangi and Clive bridges and Havelock North Only 40 local telephone lines are out of commission, and a good service has been maintained in th© telephone exchange notwithstanding the severe conditions the attendants had tn contend with yesterday evening, owing fn atmospheric disturbances and bad wqather conditions-

The Willowford motor ’hue only man. aged to get as far as A. M. Shields, Waikonini. this morning. It is reported that there are two bridges washed away between Waikonini and Waiwhare. TTxga RIVERS FALLING'RAPIDLY. On inquiry to-day, the rivers were reported to be falling rapidly. The Ngaruroro began to fall at about eight o'clock last night and this morning the waters were still decreasing, until, at 1130 the river gauge recorded only five feet above normal. Mr. Beamish, at Whana Whana, reported that the river was falling fast, after quite an exceptional flood Three and a-half inches of rain fell from 9 am. yesterday to 9 a.m- to-day and only one inch fell during the p eceding 24 hours. hi the Otamauri creek, at Whana Whana yesterday, the waves were s x feet high and the creek had risen 16 feet. This morning however, men could ride across it. The liver b d at Whana Whana is three-quarters of a mile wide, and it was covered yesterday. ‘but this morning there were islands of shingle visible. ENGINE CROSSES WHAKATU BRIDGE The only interference with the railway is the bridge at Whakatu. Here a mass of tree trunks and debris of all kinds has lodged against the four centre centre spans of the bridge, leaving about one and a-half spans on each side clear lor water. The maks of timber is at least a chain wide and the heavy pressure against the bridge has thrown it about six inches out of line in the centre. The timber forms a kind of a weir, and th© water’ on the upstream side of the bridge is at least four feet higher than it is at the other side. A pilot engine and guard’s van which had been inspecting the line between Napier and Clive ventured across the bridge at 1.30 p.m. and reached Whakatu side safely. Later it proceeded along to Hastings, -being the first rolling stock to get through since last night. The appearance of the bridge gives no encouragement to any expectations that passenger traffic will be resumed lor several days. At the height of the hood about midnight last night the water was at the 1511. mark, lapping the bottom of the joists. At 2 o’clock to-day it had fallen to the 13ft. mark and was still falling.

JOTTINGS FROM TARADALE. Every settler and their families."’ere shifted from the area from the Mission down to Ta radale before dark. John’s road. Taradale, was carrying six feet of water. It was one sheet of water from the monument in Taradale right into Napier. Lorries were requisitioned for rescue work, but thev were found to be ineffective to carry on that work. A Taradale resident states that an enormous number of sheep must, have been lost but he can give no estimate of the loss. Mr. O'Shaughnessy’s house a-t Taradale was bodily lifted by the Hood and completely wrecked. This morning the flood waters had receded considerably, and the district presents a pathetic scene of ruination and destruction. It is not yet possible to tell the full extent of the losses and damage owing to there still being a large quantity of flood w’aters over the affected area. As far as can be ascertained, the Meeanee district has not suffered nearly to the extent that it always does. From the church to the bridge was quite sry. The greater damage as far as can be seen yet is in the vicinity of John’s and uppy’s triads. Fences, hedges and market gardens have been the centres of great havic. Large quantites of silt have been deposited, which will moan that the farmers will have ar anxious time in providing w’inter feed for stock. For about three-quarters of a mile about a foot of silt has been left on the Meeanee road. Owing to the depth of flood water it ’’s not possible yet to determine tr n-haf pxtevf the road-widenies schema *hn Town Board has on l’ n nd baq bopu dnninrypfl. On fn««iirv tb’s morningthe Town Ciprk did not think that i+ bn dnlnvprl vopv much. Th« Nanipr ’Rac«‘nov’’se wn« «n’Ttnlpinlv mvnrpd bv a denth of ovpf ♦wo fppt. hut no damage, however, r reported. VARIOUS NOTES. The Ngaruroro river broke over the bank at Raupare last night, and the w hole of Mr. Wake’s dairy farm was flooded. The residents and their families on the adjoining faring vacated their houses, but Air. Wake’s place was the only one inundated.

Several nastv rumours of fatalities having occurred in the flooded areas at Papakura and Pakowhai were in circulation in Hastings this morning, but, fortunately, these were without foundation.

The Karamu bride Mas completely submerged this morning, but at noon the, water had considerably receded. 'Th© men employed at the Whakatu freezing works who reside at Hastings had to proceed to their ‘work this morning by wa v of Havelock. At Clive the flood was more severe than in 1897. places which were free from inundation on that occasion being completely flooded last night. Air. F. New-rick got through to Napier with his charabanc and a load of passengers at 9 and 11 o’clock this morning by way of Havelock and (live. He returned between 12 and 1 o’clock and left for the Napier Hospital at 1.30 p.m. Air. Maitland. manager of Borthwicks’. Ltd. accompanied by two others, went out |tio (hnaranui last evening to endeavour to recover the two cars left there yesterday noon. but was unable, to get within several miles of them. He had.to return by way of Napier to Hastings. Comparatively speaking. Hastings had very little rain, although there was a heavy downfall last night. Owing to the precautioits previously taken by th© Borough ( oum il to keep the channels clear, the borough suffered no illeffects.

At Puketapu x-esterday there was a heavy downfall of rain at 12 noon, the heaviest ex|>erienved tor many years. I liq hotel and other houses were deluged with water.

'l'lic scaffolding on the (’live bridge which was erected in connection with repairs being carried out was washed away. THE STORM SPENT. The weather continued blustery and wet throughout last night, but it was evident that the force of the storm had been spent and I hough the day coni menced with a windy weeping sky, the rain cleared off towards noon, although the conditions still continued cold and threatening. TELEGRAPHIC INTERRUPTIONS. GISBORNE AND WAIROA CUT OFF. The postmaster at Hastings advises that owing to a heavy washout at Tangoio the restoration of the Gisborne ami Wairoa lines is not expected for several day's. The Auckland lines arc also interrupted, and traffic for these districts is subject to serious delay. I WEATHER FORECAST. The Rev. D. C. Bates, Dominion Meteorologist, telegraphs as follows for 21 hours from 9 a.m. this day:— Ibe indications arc for southerly strong winds to gale. The weather will probably prove very boisterous. Heavy rain is expected. Barometer rising.