WAIROA’S BAD PLIGHT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8736, 19 May 1914, Page 5

WAIROA’S BAD PLIGHT

HARBOUR WORKS SUFFER HEAVY DAMAGE. Frees Association. WAIROA, May 18. What is sakl by many old residents 1 o l)o tbo severest flood known is today racing down tlio river, while most of tho suburban areas are undoi water. Heavy rain sot in. on Saturday afternoon, and by evening a still Miuthcrly was blowing, which increased to a full gale by midnight. These conditions have existed ove.r since, and bo far there is no sign of tho wind abating, although tho rain has somewhat slackened.

Tho harbour works, in their unfin ished state, have had a severe tost, but no damage whatever has occurred, except to a portion of tho inshore staging on the western wall, where 100 ft has been wrecked, owing to a punt loaded with a crane and moored m the stream breaking away and crashing into tho staging.. The contractor, besides losing _ tho punt and crane, has also lost Ids tug and another punt, which also broke away. There is no sign of the derelicts, as doubtless they have gone to sea. Mr Leslie H. Reynolds, engineer, nad -Mr Charles Pulley, contractor, nave had a rough, and anxious time, being constantly out all night and day in tho driving gale and rain. Several small bridges have been washed away. There have been many slips on tho roads, but so far the stock losses reported are not heavy. Mr Powdrell lost 400 hoggets, Mr Leslie Reynolds’s estimate of the normal discharge of salt and fresh water is half a million cubic feet per minute. His observations at noon today gave the present flood discharge at twelve and three-quarter million cubic feet per minute. At 11 a.m. news from Mohaka stated that tho river had risen to the lop of tho piles of tho Mohaka bridge, and that a quantity of debris had lodged against the structure. There were fears for its safety. The ap proach to tho bridge is now washing sway. . . ,' It is still (midday) raining, and if tho rain continues tho bridge must

go. Five chains of the cutting on the side of the Mohaka Hill road has como down. There are slips all over the district. . Yesterday tho GMondinjingp, living at Waihuia, had to kjave their residence and seek shelter on tho hills. The Awatc.ro river, north of tho borough, has overflowed, doing oomsiderahlo damage to North Clyde residents and merchants. ... The Wairoa river is still rising, the outflow being ofiicially estimated at eight million cubic foot por minute. _ All I’ornrminicat.ion with the north is interrupted.

HAWKE’S BAY DRENCHED.

Press Association. NAPIER, May 18. Bain has fallen continuously through, out Hawke’s Bay since Saturday afternoon, and at 11 o’clock to-night there is still - no sign of the'weather clearing. A strong southerly has also brought up a heavy sea, and generally conditions are extremely unpleasant. . There is much water on the Jow-lying parts of tho country, and many slips are reported on country roads. At Tutira station the rainfall for forty hours was over nine inches, while in Napier it was nearly four inches. Owing to the high sea tho Warnmoo was unable to horth at the breakwater, and is standing off till tho weather moderates, ivhile the Zcalandic and Kauri have put out to sea. All rivers are considerably swollen, hut none has so far overflowed its banks except at Papakura, where stock had to be removed to the higher laud. No losses of stock are reported.