FLOODS UNABATED IN COMMONWEALTH

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6538, 21 February 1928, Page 7

FLOODS UNABATED IN COMMONWEALTH

Countryside Pathetic Vista of Desolation TRAFFIC IS SERIOUSLY HELD UP [By Electric Cable-Copyright] [Aust. and N.Z. Cablo Association.] (Received Monday, 9.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 20. The weather in the city Is un- , settled and showery. • Many country parts report further rain. At Grafton this morning tho river was up 22ft and swirling through tho main streets. Much water is still to come down stream and it is feared many houses, which so far have escaped, will be submerged. Residents yywg 1 IbHospla SHRD Residences and public buildings are already crowded with refugees. Numbers of people since Wednesday have been going about in bathing suits only. A pathetic feature of tho vislta- * tion is the Isolation of many dairy herds on islands in tho Clarence Valley. All that can be seen of these lands are high spots with homes surrounded hy clustering cattle. Thousands of gallons of milk produced hy these herds are Being poured into the river and wasted.

It is estimated that 21.000 acres of maize and several hundred acres of sugar cane have been destroyed along the Clarence Valley and extensive damage has been done to bridges and culverts, while a wide acreage of pasture has been rendered unavailable for months. The town of Kempsey is in a bad way. Waters from the flooded MacLoany River invaded the town to a' depth of six feet in the lower streets. Patients were removed from the hospital to safe ground. Devastation is spread all along the MacLeany Valley. Over a hundred families have been compelled to abandon their homes and to take refuge in the townships. It is estimated tthat 10,000 acres of maize have been destroyed. Acting on early warnings most of the stock was removed, but still considerable numbers have been edAt Dithgow tho water broke into the Cobar mine tunnel and completely flooded the mine. At Arundale a number of residents were forced to leave their homes. A man named Holmes was washed from a bridge at Bundarra and drowned. Another man engaged, in repair work at Marrlna was caught in the flood and drowned. Stories of flood damage and railway destruction are coming in from all parts, north and south. ■ Washaways on both main and branch lines are numerous and traffic generally is very seriously held up.