PHENOMENAL RAINFALL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2642, 10 May 1923, Page 5

PHENOMENAL RAINFALL.

OYER 30 INCHES IN 5 DITS.

Desolation And Ruin On Every Hand.

(Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night.

Incredible as it may seem to those outside the locality, the fact remains that from the time rain commenced on Friday morning, up to 9 a.m. to-day, the rainfall recorded in Waiau township was 19.78 inches and at "Keinton Combe'' the still more phenomenal fall of SO.BI inches.

On every hand are scenes of desolation and ruin. The lower lands • around Waiau township are covered with silt to a considerable depth. Masses of debris of every description on fences and trees hear eloquent testimony to the height the flood waters reached. The river flats, which for many years have been good grazing lands, are now bare .every vestige of vegetation having been swept off. Farmers have come into Waiau township on horseback, the only means of transit for any distance at present, and all testify to the tremendous alteration in the configuration of the country in the different parts, but all state that they have not yet had an opportunity of ascertaining their losses in stock, though all agree that these must be heavy.

No description in words can convey any adequate idea of the alterations in the landscape, the actual sight of it only could convey a true picture. On the Lyndon No. 2 Settlement fences have heen washed away in all directions, and small watercourses have hecomo river-beds. 'Old watercourses, which perhaps forty years ago carried water in times of flood, hut which for as long as the oldest settler can rememher have hecn dry. and in which cabbage trees and willows have been growing for many years, have been scoured out. The cabbage trees have heen swept away. Willow trees two feet in diameter have been torn out by the roots and a bed of shingle some chains in width remains to give some slight idea of the volumes of water that swept across the country. It may incidentally be mentioned that one farm residence stands some twenty feet above a stream, and at the highest point of tho flood a rise of another two feet would have brought tlic water into the house. NO TRACE OP TWO TRAVELLERS. MUCH DAMAGE IN GRAIN STORES. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. In connection with the flood, fears are entertained for the safety Of Mr E. E. Robinson, secretary of the Spring Creek Road Board, and a farm boy, who left Robinson's form at Lower Wairan last night in a dray for Blenheim. A search party discovered the dray on the roadside in deep water and the horses roaming free, with broken harness. Subsequently, a vest, presumably worn by Mr Robinson's companion, was found, but no signs of the missing ones were discovered. Some of the grain and produce stores have been invaded by the flood, with serious results'. Thousands of bushels of peas, seeds and grain are irretrievably ruined, and there is much loss by the. saturation of wool. In one case, twenty tons of sugar have literally melted away. One dealer in produce estimates his loss at £IOOO. The railway line at Spring Creek is severely damaged and the permanent way washed out for a distance of 100 yards. The damage done to roads and bi'idges throughout the province is enormous. The Blenheim-Kaikoura road is impassable and the approaches to the Ure bridge have been washed away. It is reported that the Flaxbourne bridge has gone and two spans of the Clarence bridge and two cylinders have been carried away. Telegraphic lines have gone, thus breaking communication between the two islands.

HALF KAIAPOI HOMELESS. BUT WATERS NOW RECEDING. CIIRISTCKURCH, Last Night. Approximately half the population of Kaiapoi was rendered homeless, hut accommodation was found for all. Some splendid work was done by various bands of workers in rescuing the people, often at considerable risk. The efforts of these helpers are now being realised, when there is time for consideration of the events of the past two days. Towards Rangiora the flood waters arc receding fast, but at Woodend there are whole farms inundated still and it will take some days for this water to drain off. Forlorn-looking groups of stock can be seen clinging to the highest points of the farms. Losses of stock have been heavy. Flqod waters are receding in Kaiapoi and to-day the residents have been relieved of much of the anxiety of the previous forty-eight hours. Though the water has subsided on the Cam side, access to the houses cannot yet be gained without the aid of boats. Charles Street, where a sandbag protection was erected yesterday to keep back th waters, is now clear. In the overcast sky to-day the town bore a dismal aspect. The parts from which water had drained away were covered with silt, driftwood and debris of all kinds. Most of the houses which were flooded are not inhabitable yet and it may be some days before the flood is down sufficiently to enable the owners to return. Traffic through quite a number of streets is possible only in drays or boats. The damage to the Kaiapoi Woollen Companyls mills was very extensive and it will be some time before die full effect of the flood will be known. Throughout most of the building the depth of the water was about two feet. There were over 2000 pairs of blankets in the finishing department and when the water was at its highest it overflowed the tables on which the work was done, causing considerable damage. A great deal of destruction was caused to stocks of acids and ammonia at the factory, and much of the machinery will be seriously affected. Mr Bennett, Superintendent of Telegraphs, stated that this morning there were still no wires to the North Island via thef East Coast, but an improvised circuit had been procured from Christchurch Ala Greymouth, Nelson and Blenheim, direct to Wellington. By tins circuit, the telegraph office was now enabled to work the multiplex fast printing machine, which was doing splendid work and was practically coping with all the work coming to hand. Things were at normal and would remain so as long as die circuit held up. Hanmer Springs at the present time, said Mr Bennett, was absolutely isolated as far as telegraphic communication was concerned. The floods have now subsided sufficiently between Kaiapoi and Rangiora to allow trains to run. The Cheviot line is still in a very bad state. HEAVY LOSSES AT COLDSTREAM. STOCK SWEPT OUT TO SEA. CHRISTCHURCH* Last Night. Some heavy losses have been sustained in the Coldstream district of North Canterbury, where there is scarcely a house that is not srarounded by water. In seme instances the houses are submerged to a depth of two feet, Nheir occupants having been removed to safety. With regard to the losses of produce and live stock, a farmer who/had 2000 bushels of grain stacked five sacks high in a shed had the lot surrounded with water, which caused the saclts to burst. A well-known grazier between Saltwater creek and the Ashley river had 100 head of cattle washed out to sea, and a Waikuku settler lost 50 pigs. At) Flaxton, a farmer is the loser of 110 valuable stud sheep. Considerable damage has been suffered in respect of potato crops. In a paddock at Coldstream, COO sacks are submerged to a depth of two feet and in an adjoining paddock a large number of sacks are not visible at all. Large quantities of potatoes are not yet dugi, and it is considered these will be of no use at all now, as they will rot. Owing to the Municipal Gasworks being flooded, there was no gas available in the borough of Rangiora last night. Consequently those whose premises were not connected with electricity had to fall hack on kerosene lamps and candles.