WIND AND RAIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6326, 28 September 1907, Page 8

WIND AND RAIN.

SERIOUS FLOODS. RAILWAY TRAFFIC DISORGANISED. DAMAGE IN THE WAIRARAPA. PRESS ASSOCIATION. MASTERTON, September 27. Heavy Hoods in the river,* in the Mas-ter-ton district caused a good deal of damage to low-lying lands, particularly where agriculture is carried on. In a number of instances farmers will have to again plough their fields and re-sow. EKETAIIUNA, September 27. Tho rainfall on Tuesday totalled 3.41 inches. The culverts were unable to carry the water away, and low-lying ground was all submerged. The roads bn tho district suffered somewhat severely by tho slips. The rivers' aro in high flood. A quantity of stock was drowned, trees uprooted, roofs of sheds dislodged, and chimneys blown down by tho wind. Gardens in many cases have been almost destroyed. The train service is interrupted, tho telephone system disorganised, and there is only partial telegraph communication. The' weather is now fine, but it is blowing heavily. WOODVILLE, September 27. Tho weather during tho past day or two has been very bad. Tho rivers are in high flood, and the train service wholly disorganised through a big slip on the" lino near Mangataiuoka. Last night a most violent thunderstorm raged for nearly an hour, accompanied by an incessant downpour of hail, which it is feared will cause much mortality among lambs. WANGANUI, September 27. Heavy rain, with a gale, has been experienced for tho last two days. Hie weather now has cleared. The river rose 20ft at Pipiriki, fifty-five miles from town. The river steamer Wairnario, coming down on the flood tide, made tho trip in three and three-quarter hours. DUNEDIN, September 2<, A strong southerly gale, with heavy hail showers, is being experienced. .it is doing damage to fruit trees, which were in advanced bloom. IN THE MANAWATH. FLOOD WATERS RECEDING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) FAJjMJiAO'i'U'A. oeptemuer 27. The llooua aro receding, roicunately for tho aisci ict the neavy ram experienced during the last day or ceased last night, anu no more nas lauen up uU Liiis evening. .Had tho downpour continued much -longer, very serious consequences must, have followed, as all the rivers and streams were rising rapidly, and big areas of country were becoming inundated. The downpour- culminated during Thursday night in a severe ‘thunderstorm.

The overflow from the Manawatu was just lapping the top of tho railway metals at Jockeytown last night when tho last train from Palmerston to Poston got through. By this morning, however, the flood had gone down, fully two feet, and all danger was past. An examination f to-day showed that tho permanent way had suffered no damage. Koads in tho surrounding districts have been considerably damaged* As the result of overflowing streams between Waituna and Row a there are - about a dozen slips within half a mile. At Ashhurst two concrete culverts recently put in by tho Oroua County Council have been entirely washed away. Numberless minor washouts are reported. Road communication is consequently much hampered in . various directions. The afternoon coach between R-angi-wahia and Kimbolton was unable to get through yesterday owing to a slip. The driver had to carry the mails over on horseback. FIERCE WESTERLY GALE. . SHIPPING HINDERED. A heavy westerly gale swept the western coast . yesterday' from Manufcau Heads : to - the extremity ; of ; the South island. Ther Karawa,: which left Onehunga on Thursday afternoon for New Plymouth, was unable to cross the Manuka u bar : and returned to Onehunga at 1.30 p.m. yesterday. Therefore no mail arrived at Wellington last night from Auckland. Tho Takapuna was unable to gft out-of tho Msmukau l?st evening hut will make an attempt at 9 a.m. to-day. Owing tc the heavy weather the Maponrika ahumlimed her usual call at Groymouth j r esterday, and leaves Westport at noon to-day for Nelson and Wellington. Many, of the email steamers are bar-hound in ports on the west coast of hr.Mi ieVui-di- Th« steamer Tlimitangi, which left Wellington on Tuesday for Greymouth, did not pass Cape Foulwind till yesterday morning. The Wakatu eras detained in port at Wellington last evening, as advices from* Kaikoura warned her not to leave for that port till the weather improved.

SLIPS OX THE WAIRARAPA UNE.

A heavy fall of earth occurred at the Mangamahoe tunnel on Wednesday night, blocking traffic. The department put on a staff of men to clear- the slip away, and after working all night the track was free *to allow- trains to x'aes at 9 o’clock on Thursday . morning. It was then reported that a serious slip had stopped traffic about a mile on the Wellington side of Mangatainoka, andmen were at onco sent there. . W ork was continued up till last night, when -in spite of the heavy rain sufficient progress had been made to enable the department to resume the ordinary timetable to-day. The up and down mail trains yesterday met at the slip and transferred passengers and mails, but no other traffic got through. The Napier express, owing to this delay, was about an hour late in reaching Wellington last night.