STORM AND FLOOD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIX, Issue 9986, 15 March 1893, Page 5

STORM AND FLOOD.

LOSS OP LIPS AT MAITLAND. [Special to Press Association.] .I. 1 . SYDNEY. March Ta*-"" Three bodies, those of two men named Hunt and Weller, and of a woman named Alderson, have been recovered at Maitland, aad it is feared that others will be found as the flood water recedes. Very serious damage has been dona to the railway lines. Tho stench from the decaying bodies of animals drowned in tha flood is intolerable. The steamer Federal, which was driven ashore at Stockton, near Newcastle, during the storm, baa been floated off. WRECKAGE POUND. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 14. This morning tho Collector of Customs received nevra that more wreckage had been found on tbe west coast between Mokriu and Kawhis. Mr A. M. Fraser, while travelling from Mokau to Kawhia along the coast, discovered, cn the beach twelve miles north of Mokau, a large spar, apparently the fore-yard of a ship, with barnacles an inch thick on it; also, nearer Kawhia, another smaller yard. The jsr,} s were not of New Zealand wood. As i cy evidently had been in the water a considerable time, it ia not thought that their presence ashore is any result of tha recent galas. It is considered probable that some vessel has lost come of her spars nt sea. NAPIER, March 14. The rain has cleared off, but tbe weather is still threatening and extremely cold. WELLINGTON. March 14. A meeting convened by the Mayor was held to-night, to consider the beat way of helping sufferers by the floods in the town and country. It was decided to canvass for subscriptions, and, in addition to relieving the wants of those flooded, to pay them in money for their loss of furniture, &c. The tan track on tha Hutt racecourse was destroyed by Saturday’s flood. It will be replaced by a plough track. The course, which was under water, sustained no other damage. About one hundred and twenty guineas have been collected for tho sufferers by the local flood. Captain Edwin predicts that another gale will ba experienced here to-night or to-morrow morning. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. HAW iilliA, March 14. Reports from the country districts continue to show that great damage was done to roads and on the Waimate plains. Nearly all traffic is suspended, and the settlers and the local governing bodies are likely to be very heavy losers. Bridges and culverts are down in all directions. On many farms there have been heavy losses of sheep. On one farm are seven hundred carcases of sheep piled six feet deep in ditches iu some places, where tha animals bad run to escape from tha storm. It is impossible to get at the damage, but estimates go as high as £15,000 in the Hawsra and Taranaki Counties. The mail service ia being parried on under great difficulties, but it is expected that tho railway will be clear in a day or two, and that coach traffic will bo resumed in the course of a week.

THE QUEENSLAND EELIEP FUND. LONDON, March 14, The Queensland Belief Fund exceeds <£Booo. RHODES’ BAY REGATTA. A meeting of the sub-Committee, who are conducting the regatta in Rhodes’ Bay on ThurDday next, in aid of tbs Queensland Relief Fund, was held on Monday night to receive entries, Ac. From the list it will be seen that nearly all the Clubs have supported the regatta right loyally. As the course for all events will be a straight mile, some very interesting races are sure to be the result. The Committee expressed pleasure at the way the rowing men of Christchurch had responded to their appeal for assistance. Given a fine day on ‘Thursday, Khodes Bay will be well worth a visit. As a picnic ground it is probably as well known as any spot in Canterbury, mad from the hill elopes at either sido of the bay a splendid view can be got of the races from start to finish. A handicap yacht race, for which a very large fleet has been entered, will be gob off during the afternoon, and the course for this has been so arranged that the boats will be well within view of the bay throughout the race. A race for roen-o’-war boats, for which four contestants from H.M.S. Eingdovo have entered, will complete the programme. A gang of Jack Tars from the same warship will, aa a Darkfcown crew, amuse tho spectators. As cheap fares will be charged between Christchurch and Lyttelton, and as the Committee’s arrangements for getting the public to and from the bay are very extensive and complete, there should be a very large gathering. The following are tho entries received for the towing races : Senior Ibvus.—Avon, Canterbury, Lyttelton, Union. Maiden Pairs.—Avon, Union, Lyttelton, Canterbury, Wairewa, and Young Men’s Christian Association. Youths’ Pairs.—Lyttelton, Union, and Canterbury. Senior Sculls.— Lyttelton, Union, Canterbury, and Avon. Youths’ Sculls. —Canterbury, Union, and Lyttelton. Maiden Sculls.— Canterbury, Lyttelton, Union, Avon, Wairewa, and Young Meu’a Christian Association. Single Sculls— Samuels and E. F. Crosbio (Union), J. Page. W. Harkiaa and C. Harrington (Lyttelton), .1. Y. Daly (Canterbury) and C. Chapman (Wairewa). Owiog to the shortness of the time the races will have to be gob off sharp).,y, and the Committee wish to notify that competitors should be at the Bay not inter than 2 p.tn„ as tne first race will bo started at 2.30 p.m.

The respectable bush of .£lBBl 16a lOd represents the total cash receipts obtained by the Central Committee when the lists closed, not including .£llO collected in the several Catholic churches, £SO sent direct to Queensls-nd by the Orange institutions and .£2O forwarded to Wellington by the railway employees. The local subscriptions raised in Christchurch msy thus bo reckoned at i 82061 10a lOd in cash, and poods to the value of over £SOO. The Executive Com-

mittee meets to-morrow to make final arrangements. A most successful concert in aid of the Queensland Relief Fund was held on Friday evening in tho Wakanui schoolroom, with very satisfactory results. About £lO was taken in aid of tha fund. At the South Bahais. Road Board meeting a circular v?as received asking that ctaps might be taken to call a meeting and see what could bo done in the matter of helping the Queensland sufferers. The Chairman (Mr Lyttelton) intimated that tha matter had already received attention, and that some £7O in cash and good’, had been collected. Mr Secretan, of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, was receiving subscriptions and goods, which would bo duly forwarded.