DISASTROUS STORM.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6754, 8 February 1892, Page 2

DISASTROUS STORM.

Ever since the harvest was feirly commenced in South Canterbury the farmers have been given a good deal of anxiety by the variability of the weather. Early yesterday morning it took a decided set at " wet and stormy,” and to find a parallel to the boislorousness and wet of the succotdinp 24 hours we believe that we must go book as many years to the great flood of 1863, which by the way occurred Mao in the first week of February. It will be seen from our telegrams that the gale was general right along the eastern seaboard of this island. Up to 10 a.m. so far as this district was concerned, the rain fell in torrents, and was driven before a gale of wind. The effect on the rivers will be to put them in heavy flood again, for by midday yesterday the Opihi, Temuka, and Orari rivers were rapidly rising. But at this season of the year the principal question is what effect this decided change will have on the grain-growers. Wo have no hesitation in saying from what we have ourselves seen and from what farmers tell us that the effect will be very bad indeed. All over the district wheat and oats are mostly cut, and the bulk of it being in stook, but vo.y few farmers having got their crop stacked, the rain will have done great damage to the stocks. Many stacks are to be seen hn'fbuilt, and these will be in such a state that they will have to be reduced to sheaves again. The bad weather is the more to be regretted, for the crops this yes*, the wheat especially, were exceptionally heavy and of a” round quality. The orchards have suffered severely, the ground beneath the trees being strewn with apples, pears, etc , and a veiy heavy loss will accrue to the district through this alone. It is small consolation that the gale has also been destructive toJ.be sparrows, whoso nests —still containing young birds, many of them —have been blown out by hundreds in every plantation Yesterday the wind became more easterly, and in the evening the sea began to make rapidly, so that by dark the billows were breaking all over the road stead, and poming over the outer kant of the mole in vast masses and along the inner kant, which is raised by a parapet of blocks, columns of 'spray were thrown up, to be blown clear across the wharf by the fierce gusts of wind. Fortunately there was no vessel lying at the outer portion of the wharf, the barque Irene having been taken off to a buoy, loaded, the previous afternoon. The little schooner Orpheus lay. at the main wharf, bat under the lee of the shingle, and was quite comfortable there, save for a little pitching on the run of the range. The Irene and the Auriga lay at the outer and northern buoys, simply bowing gently as the rollers passing the entrance sent off long flat billows into the harbour. Inside of them lay the s.s. Invercargill which came in during the afternoon, and the barque Arnold and schooner Olenoairn at the Moody wharf The harbourmaster kept a sharp lookout on his charge to see that nothing went amiss, and though outside the sea was seething, there seemed no likelihood that active service would be needed from his crew The town yesterday looked dismal enough, and vei y few people ventured out, those who did, with overcoats and umbrellas, soon presenting the appearance of half-drowned fowls. The Borough Council's reading staff found it necessary to turn out in the mmning to remedy some defects that manifested themselves in the drainage. The rain, however, at no time fell so heavily as it had done during a couple of showers a few days ago, and there was no flooding of the streets. The driving wind, however, helped the rain to find out weak spots in roofs, and window and door .fittings. There was no sign of a change for the better up to 4 a.m., and as the rain was coming down steadily all the night, the rivers will without doubt be in high flood to day.

Our Geraldine correspondent writing on Saturday eaya :—The harvest in the Geraldine district is being gathered in under the most trying circumstances on account of the prevalence of wet weather with occasional glimpses of sunshine. The crops are now being cut as quickly as possible, a large area being in stook. This year’s harvest promises to bo the most abundant (weather permitting) of any for the past ten years or so, enormous yields per acre being frequently heard of in some parts of the district. The weather cleared up on Saturday last, when operations were again resumed.” Our Waimate correspondent sent ns the following on Saturday:—Good harvest weather has been experienced here since Thursday. Most, in fact nearly all, of the crops are down, and stacking is speedily being proceeded with. Tn the Deep Creek district the crops are all good, and some are considerably above the ordinary average. Ail round the Waihao the crops have been splendid, some of the heaviest in the county having been grown there. (By Tbiegbaph.) ASHBURTON, Feb. 7. A heavy downpour a£ rain has been experienced eince early this morning and is still coming down in torrents. OAMARU, Feb. 7. Since the beginning of Janus - y no rain of any consequence has fallen in the Oamaru district. This morning, however, heavy i-in set in and has continued off and on all day. Nearly all the crops are in stook, only a small portion is slacked, and the rain if it continues is likely to do harm to (he g.’ain. There is every appearance of the rain continuing, but the weather is cold, and should the rein cease to-night probably more good than barm will be done, if it is followed by a strong wind. DUNEDIN. Feb 7. Bain set in early this morning and has continued with scarcely any intermission for the whole day. The crops, it is feared, wi’l be seriously damaged.