FLOOD FEARED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 168, 17 June 1936, Page 10

FLOOD FEARED

SETTLERS MOVE STOCK. RIVER RISES RAPIDLY. Following heavy rain in Hawke’s Bay, the Manawatu River, which has been at a fairly low level so far this winter, began to rise rapidly last evening and at 9 a.m. to-day it was ruging past the Fitzlierbert bridge at a height of 14ft. 3i». Anticipating inundation of the low-lying area between Tiakitahuna and Rangiotu, settlers were moving stock to places of safety. From a reading of only 2ft. at 5 p.m. yesterday, the river level jumped to over 7ft. by 10.30 p.m., and at 2 a.m. had risen to lift., having gained 4 ft. in 3) hours. The river was in high flood at daylight, and although its height was 14tt. 3in. at 9 a.m., it was continuing to rise, there being no indications ol a diminution in volume. At 11 a.m. it had reached 14ft. 9 in and at 1 p.m. has increased to 15ft. Fears of flooding in the vicinity ol Tialutahuna appeared to be well founded, because flood water was pouring into James’s Lagoon at Hamilton’s Bend, the danger point. Water was lapping the bottom of the unfinished protective banking, and was starting to enter the other lagoons. Sixty head of sheep were lost in this locality from a flood suffered in last February, but on this occasion stock have been removed early.

There is still a gap three chains wide in the hanking at the. end of Hamilton’s Line, and, with the Manawaui River continuing to rise, it seemed certain this morning that the river would go across country, threatening to make the main highway to Foxton impassable. However, at 1 p.m. the road was still clear.

Expecting a flood, settlers were rounding up stock in the Taonui basin, which suffered badly from the effects of recurrent floods last winter. The Oroua River, though not by any means bank high at that point, was carrying a heavy fresh this morning, while both Bourke’s Drain and the Main Drain were full. With the prospect of imprisoned water being banked up through the height of the Manawatu River, into which it discharges, the outlook was very unfavourable.