FOUR DAYS MAROONED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18397, 12 May 1923, Page 10

FOUR DAYS MAROONED.

— \ —-* ' FAMILY'S ORDEAL IN FLOOD. J (REFUGE IN UPPER STOREY. [PRACTICALLY WITHOUT FOOD SIEGE RAISED BY HORSES. fBT TEXEGKAPH.-OWU CORRESPONDENT.] .:;'..: BLENHEIM. Friday. • One of -the most terrible experiences of the flood was that of Mr. Austin Fairhall and family, who were marooned in' the top storey of their house from Monday until yesterday, and who were, for the greater part of that time, practically without food. Mr. Fairhall re"close' to the banks of the Wairau ' River, near Spring Creek, and, when the river, burst its banks on Monday, the household were caught unprepared, and were shortly placed in a position of much danger. , ■'■ ■ . , The flood waters swirled and dasned round the house. with great force, and in a very short time the lower part of the dwelling was invaded to a depth of about sft The entire family, including two visitors .from Nelson, took refuge in the upper storev, where they spent four very anxious days, threatened all the time with disaster. V . . ' ...^ The household were practically without food from Monday night until Wednesday, when Mr. Fairhall caught a horse which came near the house, and on it made his way through the flood to Mr. A Craven's farm, where he uecuxed •bread and other food, with which he succeeded in returning to the beleagured dwelling. Then followed another long night until, on Thursday morning, the neighbours rallied round and rescued alt hands bv means of horses. - . "Mr. Fairhall is a very heavy sufferer bv the flood, as his farm has been practically converted into a riverbed. At the .height of the flood the torrent washed Sv one of his sheds, while the trapshed" collapsed, smashing the trap. Me. • finished threshing on Thursday last, but the water- has carried away everything in the fields, and covered, the top of the stacks. As an illustration of the force of the flood at this point, hedges 10ft. high. were torn up by the roots. DISTRESS IN MARLBOROUGH ORGANISATION OF RELIEF. ' OUTSIDE HELP ACCEPTED. [BY . telegraph.— correspondent.]. ' ['.','.:"■ " BLENHEIM. Friday. • Following upon a meeting of the Borough Council last evening the Major this morning called the local clergy together to discuss the question of administering the relief fund The flooded area was. divided into districts, and the clergymen- are to make ; house-to-house . calls to ascertain if assistance is re- '. quired in' the shape of firewood or coal, or in any other form. . .■;.., -'..-'.t a L ;. This afternoon -the Mayor said there had been some alarming losses on farms, • particularly among small holders, . and it iwaafalso feared that in the course of. a few days a good deal of distress would beoome apparent in Blenheim resulting in heavy calls on • the relief fund. . vln these circumstances it had been decided to accept offers of assistance, from outside districts and the Red Cross Society of Wellington, which: had already made + an offer to help, would be advised to this . effect. .J"'"V :; -- . ■ \:C.{ . .; '