THE WEATHER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9173, 5 August 1890, Page 2

THE WEATHER.

FLOODS. Oar K.iiapoi correspondent writing last night says: This (Monday) morning several low-lying farms along the Stewart’s Gully branch of the Waimakariri were hooded. A few sheep were lost, and numbers of hares and rabbits were drowned. This evening will probably witness a repetition of the fresh, but serious damage is not apprehended at Kaiapoi, though doubtless some fanners will be losers. Nearly the main bulk is coming down the South branch, and the gap in the North road, below White's Bridge, is sustaining a heavy onslaught. Our Eangiora correspondent writes: — During Saturday night, and all day on Sunday, torrents of rain fell in the hills, and occasionally heavy showers travelled over the northern district. Yesterday the northern rivers were in flood. The Ashley will not be fordable for some time, consequently the attendance at the Eangiora market to-day will be materially affected. The river Eyre was running full yesterday afternoon, and the water in the wells on the plains should now rise. The northerly wind accompanied by a warm rain, which prevailed on Sunday morning, had the effect of bringing down the snow on the ranges at the head of the Ashburton river, which rose rapidly, and early in the evening was full from bank to bank. A change in the weather, however, caused the river to fall as rapidly as it had risen. Eesidents whose pumps have run dry hope that the fresh will have au appreciable effect upon the water-bearing stratum. During the past week the weather in the Geraldine district has been very variable. On Saturday the wind blew from the North-west quarter, materially assisting in drying up the streets in the township. At uight a heavy North-westerly gale prevailed, culminating in a downpour of rain, which commenced between 7 and 8 a.m. on Sunday, lasting throughout the day. Towards Monday morning it ceased, but later on it again threatened for rain. Sunday’s downpour was very welcome to farmers and others, and it brought a considerable body of water down the Waihi river-bed. Our Springfield correspondent writes After long immunity from anything in the shape of a flood, the rain which fell heavily on Saturday night and Sunday brought a quantity of snow off the hills, and consequently the rivers were running bank high. Nears were entertained for the embankments which are being thrown out into the bed of the Kowai in connection with railway work. Some slight damage has been done, and had the flood been as severe as some we have seen, great loss could not possibly have been avoided. [Pjsb Phess Association.] INVESCAEGILL, August 4, Heavy rain fell on Sunday and to-day, but the rivers have not risen much. At Parrawa, on the Kingston line, the ballasting suffered a little from the overflow of the Eyre Creek, but traffic was not stopped. The rain is very welcome up country, as the settlers had been out of a supply of water for some time.