FLOODS.

Southland Times, Issue 17306, 31 March 1913, Page 5

FLOODS.

A DEVASTATING VISITATION Damages to Flocks. Crops and Herds / A GREAT MOTOR JOURNEY ESTIMATED DAMAGE iIN GORE £IOO.OOO WYNDHAM AND MATAURA FLOODED A SERIOUS OUTLOOK FURTHER FATALITIES REPORTED ■ ~ : lT“ GALLANT RESCUE WORK ' t .■. ’ Train Service Disorganised

Haver in the previous history of Southland has there been such a number of disastrous floods at one time, as was the case on Friday and Saturday last. Practically every part of the province was affected to a greater or lesser extent, and the losses sustained have been enormous. It is impossible at this juncture to assess the damage in figures, hut it Is certain that thousands and thousands of pounds worth of crop, stock, and other property has been destroyed. Coming as It does durIng the currency of a stringency in 1 the money market, It Is impossible to view the position with equanimity. Southland has all along been noted for Us recuperative powers, - and In this Instance all that it possesses In this respect are now urgently required. Within the next few days a glimmer of light may break through the present gloom, but not even the most optimistic can Just now, speak In other than ' lugubrious tones of the outlook. The far-reaching extent of the floods Is the worst feature, and is one that may not be dls- « missed lightly. The happening could not have taken plaoe at a more Inopportune time, and it Is not too much to say that many farmers, who prior to Friday last were fortunately circumstanced, and with bright prospects ahead,, are now face . to face with something approaching disaster. \ CATOHTIHG WATERS. Early in the morning telegraphic intimation was received by Inspector Norwood that the flood was gaining fast in Gore, and that.lt was necessary that a boat should be"sent ’up to take people who had sought refuge in Ipfts on to the higher ground. A boat was at once procured and loaded on a truck on the 10.20 train, which was delayed in departing for upwards of twenty minutes. A reporter who travelled in the train had an excellent opportunity of observing the eiteut of the neighbourhood of the railway. J The first real evidence of flood to be seen was at One Tree Point, where the overflow from the Waikiwi creek spread out in a' wide sheet between the railway embankment and the dairy factory. The country for some distance on both sides of the line was Inundated, and the Immense sheet of clear water would have appeared perfectly natural In the morning sunlight had It not been for the presence of occasional bristles of brown rushes which showed themselves a few inches above the surface where the ground rose a little. Crops standing in stock looked sodden and beaten about, and here and there the carcases of sheep could be seen. As the train sped by the water appeared to be receding rapidly. To the west of the line a mile or two above One Tree Point a road which traversed an indentation, in the centre of which flowed the Waikiwi stream, was axle deep in water for some distance, and the fences In the neighbourhood were damaged. In the vicinity of Woodlands a cottage near the railway line was almost completely surrounded ‘by water, which bubbled and flowed within a few yards of .the front door, while a little further on in front of the Woodlands Hotel the flood waters had formed a crescent-shaped lagoon marked off into sections by gorse hedges, the tops of which were barely distinguishable in places. As the country rose again this was broken up into a chain of miniature lakes.

past \V'alker’s hotel to scour these as far as It was possible to do so. The peculiarity of the < position of Wyndham was that, while the river rose with starting rapidity at Gore and Mataura, it rose much more slowly at the lower township, thun giving shopkeepers, etc., more warning; and greater opportunity to reipcve their 'stock •to places where it would be reasonably safe. So far as it is possible to gauge at present the greatest amount of loss sustained by any individual business man will not amount to much more than £IOO or £l5O. ADOXTO THE DUSE. To revert to the railway, the ballasting and embankment for about twenty chains on the Wyndham side of the railway bridge has been swept aside, and the track of rails and sleepers is suspended over the gap, appearing a thing of ludicrous fllmslness. Te reconstruct the embankment will be a task of some magnitude and it can safely be said that' it will be some days at the very least before the work can be accomplished. The bridges at Menzles Ferry survived the battering they received from the rushing waters, and the road between Edendale and Wyndham remains fit for traffic. ; Below .Wyndham there Is plenty of evidence of the' ravages of the flood waters. The racecourse is bestrewn with the carcases of stock, and! it house, or rather the tangled and battered remains of one,' has piled up on the same property. This is In all probability one of the two carried away from Mataura. ■ Nothing could be learned at Wyndham Of how the country about Mataura Island had fared, but from the meagre reports to hand it was considered ■ that file losses in stock and crops are likely to be very heavy. TEX CRY FOR BREAD. ‘When It became known In Invercargill* thit four br-flv© feet of, water was running in the main streets of Gore people began to have some vague conception of the plight of the residents'of the inland town. The story which came over the telephone from Sergeant Burrows was "Vo the' effect that the water was doing untold damage, and that there still remained numbers of people isolated on the tops of 'their houses and in lofts. There appeared, from the meagre particulars which filtered through to Invercargill from the police sergeant, standing over his waist in water at the telephone, to be an urgent need for a boat and provisions. Bakehouses were flooded, and what stores stood clear of the water -were either inaccessible to the majority or were eaten out. Biscuits and flour were at a premium, and it appeared impera-? tlve that some means should be found to get provisions and a boat to Gore before nightfall. The roads were reported to be impassable. Stories of*culverts washed away, gigantic washouts, and miles of road under three and four feet of water were being told on every hand, and it appeared futile to attempt to get beyond Edendale by road. The railway, too, presented a dead end at Edendale on account of an Impassable washout at Wainruirru, and the prospects of getting tli rough were indeed discouraging. It remained for Mr P. H, Vickery to act on receipt of an urgent request for bread from the authorities, and he resolved to make an attempt to get through at all costs. A word of appreciation from the people of Gore must here be recorded. It is common talk ?mong the people themselves that they have much to thank the promoter of the venture for. The New Zealand Express Company’s big 30 h.p. Argyie motor lorry was procured, together with two expert drivers, Messrs A. Fraser and J. O’Brien. Moving with all expedition it made a round of the town bakeries, and in half an hour collected upwards of three hundred loaves, boxes of buns and scones, and sundry oilier edibles. Every baker’s cart encountered was held up by Inspector Norwood, who acted together with Mr Vickery in the collection of bread, and a toll bf two or three loaves was exacted wherever they could be procured. A BIDE US! TICE BIOKT. At 3.40 p.m. the powerful lorry sped out along the East road and on through Kennington, where 'the first water was-, encountered. This the car took without aqy difficulty, and the Dacre road was reached without incident. Here, however, the sloppy clay patches called for the application of the chains, and with them the heavy machine made steady progress where few other motor vehicles could have ventured. AT edehdam: The boat, which had been shunted on to a siding, was loaded on to the lorry with all expedition, and the big machine sped on Its way towards Brydone. Before it reached That point, however, there was a check which sent the spirits of the leaders of the expedition down to a very low ebb. Mr Donald Macdonald, of Edendale, who had gone ahead to spy out the land, returned with the information that a heavy washout on the road ahead would cut off the main road, and that a heavy backwater submerged the road not far ahead. He directed tiie driver to make an attempt to cross the backwater and linn turn up into the hills, where he would strike the old clay road along the terrace. This, it turned out. was the only road by which Gore could have been reached, and those who travelled with the provi-’ slons had an experience which they are

The train got no further than Edendale, where news was received of serious Washouts along the line near Mataura. The Mataufa was said to be still rising rapidly and it was current talk in Edendale that the township of Wyndham was Inundated to the extent of three feet. Travellers had got through to Wyndham earlier in the day. but on application at the livery stable it was stated that the river was too dangerous to risk crossing the bridge. A visit to the locality of the bridge disclosed the cruel extent of the devastation. The flood was said by old residents to be the worst in the history of the settlement. Some idea of the immense volume of water at that time coursing down may be communicated In the. fact that a sheet of water of upwards of a mile in width extended from the bridge in the direction of Wyndham, while the usual channel , of the river was nothing less than a roaring torrent. The volume of water passing down the channel was awe-aspiring, the flow churning and swirling in cavorting waves. Clusters of people gathered on the Edendale side of the two bridges, where the river looked very menacing. The rushing waters were heating against the railway bridge, which showed a very evident kink under the strain, and many foretold its ruin. Running almost level with the decking of the traffic bridge the torrent leapt at the piles and stanchions, sending up columns of water every now and then when the waves struck home. Very manifestly the river was still rising and report had it that Wyndham was practically cut off from the high land, and was being deserted. A great, body of water was lodged behind the railway embankment beyoud the bridge and,fears were entertained that the embankment would not withstrmd the strain. It was this embankment that kept Wyndham from being flooded out of existence and the extent of damage, were it to break, waa prophesied to be enormous. ■X'H'ft BAITS IiKEAKS, The water continued to hack up behind the embankment for hours, until the whole countryside was Inundated by the sheet of water dammed back by it. At last tho strain told its tala Trickles running over tho tor*- ul the rails swelled Into scouring torrents. The ballast was sSvept aside like sawdust before a wind, and the torrent was freed from its leash Racing with cruel speed the flood swept tb? country below the railway, carrying fences and stock with it, but, quite contra-y to the prophesies, it did not affect the position in Wyndham materially. That centre, it was learned as the result of a visit yesterday, did not suffer to nearly the same extent as Mataura or Gore. Information from reliable sources, together with numerous signs observed, shove/ 1 that the water at its highest v as little mere than two feet deep in the shops, in the main street. About 2.50 p.m. yesterday very little water remained in they streets, but what did remain was being put to a yery sensible use. Heavy coatings of silt had been deposited by the flood on linoleums and carpets, and the residents were making use of a temporary river flowing

NOT LIKELY TO FORGET for many a day. As the car turned off on to the terrace road the light was waning, and it was evident that unless someone to guide the party was found there would be a danger of them losing their way in the network of clay roads which had to be travelled. A horseman was met, and agreed to accompany the motor through the worst stretch of country, conditional on someone informing the members of his household of his whereabouts. This duty was undertaken by a volunteer, who galloped away and was soon lost in the ' gathering shadows of night. The lorry was now on a GREASY CLAY ROAD on which, even with the deep biting chains, it could make but slow progress. Scarcely a mile of this road had been travelled before the wheels sank into slush, and had to be cleared with a spade. The car moved with the joint efforts of ihe engine and the members of the parly. Stoppages were thereafter frequent, and the lorry was many times literally heaved out of mud holes by Inspector Norwood and Messrs Wilkes, C. Lewis, ,T, F, Withington,

H. Vickery and sundry helpers from adjacent farms. Careful choice had to be made of the track and once, when the car came face to face with a series of freshly deposited gravel on the top of a hill, it was necessary to spread the metal for some yards before the road was sufficiently even to allow the wheels to grip. Rain was falling and the roads were not improving as the car went along. Pessimists whp were encountered by the dozen gave it as their opinions that Gore would not be reached that •night, but the drivers and their assistants took little notice, but KEPT AT THEDS WOEK. Once the car became so securely stuck in the deep slime that a call was made for a team to haul It out. While the horses were being procured ' ■ ■m a farm house not far from where '■•ar was held up the chain gripped he clay bottom of the puddles, and, hj to the belief of everybody, the big ...,r lurched forward again. Further al*oad, in a region marked for the members of the party only by its obscurity, the wheels sank deep again, and the drivers toiled with spades while their helpers heaved on the body of the car standing over tjieir boot-tops in mud. After a periodof labour In this way the .car ran on to metal roads, and was soon within range of THE LIGHTS OP GOBS, and ran into the township at 11 p.m., after being six and a-half muddy and anxious hours on the road. Within a few minutes of its making a stop where the wafer across the roadway appeared too deep to go forward with safety, a. voice came out of the darkness asking, "HATH YOU GOT BREAD THEBE?" ’ Another followed saying: “See, they have a boat.” Then a buzz of voices came down the street, and soon' there “was a congregation of townspeople on the footpaths. The lorry was turned, and went back to Mr Calder’s store, where the bread was distributed! The news that BBEAS HAD AHHIVHD spread with remarkable rapidity, and wiUtln half an hour of the unloading, despite the lateness of the hour, only seventeen of the three hundred loaves remained. AH ANXIOUS FHOFLH. Under the cover of darkness the back streets of Gore presented the appearance one might have expected them to present on an ordinary wet night, except that the people who came in a steady stream to the store had something about them suggesting that they had come through a period of trial, and anxiety. They had truly endured a terrible day. The waters then reached right across the business area and flat level with the railway station, and back some hundreds of yards towards the high ground'-at' the rear of the bowling green and reserves. Out of the obscurity came the relentless roar of the river, broken npw and .then by the pitiful bellows of cattle which were being swept away to their death by the on rushing current. Investigation in darkness held no possibilities except adventure, and inspection of the flooded area was deferred until dawn. WHAT THE SAWN HE THALES. In the first light v of the morning the Southland Times reporter visited the* main street, wading over his knees to reach the police station, from which the flood had receded. The streets were scenes of 'desolation, and the usually smart .and comfortable looking residences looked battered and worn. Front doors of houses which had been deseiffed hurriedly in the early hours of Saturday morning stood open, and the water coursed over carpets of silt and slime, eddying and bubbling over inverted chairs and tables. Poultry a!nd dogs were ' TEACHES OH OUTHOUSES some of which had apparently been shifted, considerable distances py the rushing flood waters. There was still a considerable volume of flood water, but It was confined to the low-lying section of the town running parallel with the railway line right through the first block. HOW THE FLOOD CAME IH. The story of the flood, gleaned from a variety of sources, was to this effect : At 3.30 a.m. on Saturday a man named Dennis Gordon went to the police station, and t6ld- Sergeant Burrows that the river had broken through the embankment at Jacobstown, and that a flood was imminent He suggested that he should ring the lire bell, which 'stands about fifty yards from the police station, aM Trent away to do sft. No'lodher had he left, however, than the bell clanged out its message, and In & few minutes people'were hurrying and scui'ryifig in all directions, knowing all too well what the alarm was intended to convey. The river at the rear of the police station had then advanced as far as the railway line and could be seen rising rapidly. Horses were procured by the police and others, who galloped or ran through the streets shouting the startling news that a flood upon the town. People were slow to believe that the occurrence could warrant such alarm, and as a result of their tardiness a good deal of valuable time was lost. Rising steadily the water broke over the railway line at 7 a,m. and surged over the main street and back across the fiats. At last the townspeople realised their danger, and they had. either to run for safety or take to their roofs and lofts. A LIVING HXVEH. Within an hour or two the water had risen to a point said to be three feet higher than any previous flood, and ran with terrific force' down the streets. Numbers of people who had failed to leave the flats when the warning was given were cut off, and, as it was then problematical as to how high the river would rise, tlvete predicament was most serious. Carts were soon out collecting people from various houses and conveying them to the refuges on higher ground. The rescuers, whose names could not he ascertained yesterday, continued their work at great personal risk as long as they were able, and they were instrumental in saving large numbers of the isolated in drays and other vehicles. One of them, W. Cox, a middle aged man, met with AH ACCIDENT by which it was for some time thought that he had lost his life. Indeed, It was reported through the police that he had been drowned. There Is a high hedge running along the eastern side of one of the reserves, and it appears that when Mr £ox was driving his dray thrbugh the deep water coursing down the street the vehicle overturned and the driver at once disappeared. There being no sign of the driver, it was concluded by those who witnessed the mishap that he was drowned, and they reported the affair to the police. Two hours later, however, it was discovered that Mr Cox was firmly pinned against the hedge by the dray and that only his head remained above water. Mr Wm. Martin and another man procured a rope and after a terrific struggle managed to puli the dray up sufficiently to release the unfortunate rescuer, who had distinguished himself mo signally earlier in the day. W. Cooper stood by the injured man for one and three-quar-ter hours while he was pinned, vainly endeavouring to push the dray off, and it appears that in his efforts with others to do so a wire rope was broken. Eventually the unfortunate man was released and was taken to a house on the high ground, where he was reported to be making satisfactory progress yesterday morning. AH EMERGENCY MET.

THE DAMAGE. An estimate given by a well-known business man in Gore is that the personal and commercial losses in the town alone will amount to £IOO,OOO. This does not seem to overshoot the mark after an inspection of the business premises and some of the residences. In the first instances a hay stack which floated down the main street on Saturday capne to rest in Kingsland and Ferguson's monumental masonry yard, and there did damage of which no estimate can possibly be available for a few days. It SWEPT TEE TABD like a great broom, knocking the monuments in all directions, and breaking not a few marble tombstones. At 7 a.m. yesterday one large black marble column stood gauntly in the waste of water, v.lr'e its less noble fellows sprawled in all ’'rections. The shop fronts of H. and .f. Smith (drapers), Christie's (fancy goods), and Mac Gibbon (merchant) had been staved in and the window exhibits had been washed away. Scraps of plate glass lay strewn upon the pavements. Inside the shops were practically all littered with various articles more or less saturated and covered with silt. Mr Smith, of the firm of H. and J. Smith, told a reporter that he estimated that firm's loss at £3500. Motor cars stood under verandahs and against fences, and the expense of taking these to pieces for repair will be considerable. Wright, Stephenson and Co.’s and other stores are also reported to have suffered, enormous losses, wlille there is hardly a business place in the .town which will not have suffered. THE DAMAGE TO FUBHZTUBE in hotels and private residences will be for some time at least Incalculable. In the Southland Club Hotel on Saturday the. water flowed six feet deep throughthe baek door and windows and out at the front, and every stick of furniture was more or less damaged. In private residences the loss through damage to pianos alone will, it is said, run into thousands of pounds, while not' a few homes have been completely ruined as the result of the devastation caused by flood waters. As to the back country no Idea can of course be formed as to the losses isustained by farmers, but even in Gore there are hundreds of tokens by which It may be judged that the damage up country has been no less severe than in the township. Carcases, oatep sheaves, framework of houses, and even tame ducks were still to be seen about the bridge and in the township yesterday, while a fence torn away from some river paddock was hung up in a tangled mass With a few sheets of corrugated iron, below the railway bridge. Heavy bridge timbers which may have come from the Fresh ford bridge on the Walkaia line, which is reported to be down, are scattered about the main street and in yards in that vicinity, while now and then bridge timber has been seen floating down the main current. The people of Gore turned out in large numbers yesterday morning to view the damage, and the ladies spent just as much time inspecting the bedraggled hats in milliners’ windows as they were wont to do over a spring show. The' butchers’ shops were open and there was a plentiful supply of fresh meat, while it was expected that the bakeries would be turning out bread before evening. GOME’S TBOUBZ.ES. ABOTHEB ACCOUBT. 1 GORE, March 30. The most disastrous flood ever experienced In the Gore and Mataura Valley occurred on Friday morning. The losses are enormous. In stock alone thousands of sheep and hundreds of cattle and horses were lost. All crops still oqt ori low-lying Walmea Plains were irretrievably lost. At Gore half the private residences were submerged several feet, some ten feet. From this aspect the loss is appalling, though less serious than the devastating damage caused by the flooded waters to shops in town. The drapery trade was probably the hardest hit. Large consignments of sugar, flour, sago, and tapioca were reduced to waste. Book-sellers, grocers, bootmakers, and other trades suffered great loss. Windows and mirrors were smashed, and goods washed out of shops.

Between 7 ahd 7.30 a.m. the water rose two feet, and reached beyond the highest ever recorded during the historical flood of iS7S. At 9 a.m. the Main street was a raging, torrent, and quite Debris of all descriptions—meat safes,telegraph poles, fowls, sheep, cattle, loose timber, and all manner of refuse went swirling down the current. People on the higher levels made open house, and fed and clothed the unfortunate sufferers who were literally washed out of their homes. The hills-and terraces to the west of Gore were thronged all day. Great praise is due to the members of Barton Bros.’ circus, who, with the help of their horses, rescued whole streets of families, who had despaired of finding means of egress to th© hills. Numbers of stricken residents had to remain on the roofs of their houses till late In the afternoon before they could be taken to safety. Accommodation was found for th© majority in the residences of more fortunate kinsmen on the hill. Others slept in shakedowns in the school. Only one small shop in the whole town escaped. Stocks of tea, tobacco, rice, and tons of groceries were ruined. The Main street shop windows were broken, and goods floated down the stream for miles. Tons of sugar melted away, only the sacks being left. The Knsign was unable to publish on Saturday, all the machinery, including the linotypes, being submerged. It is hop© to Issue to-morrow. The waters are now subsiding, and are 6ft below yesterday’s level. Scores of pianos have been irretrievably ruined; and miles of fencing washed away. One resident returned to his .house this morning to find the carcase of a bullock blocking the front door. Others were prevented from gaining their homes through the piled up debris.

Gore presented an unusual spectacle on Sunday afternoon, the shops being open and the pfeople laying In the provisions available. The borough will suffer severely, the roads in some cases being almost stripped of metal. All five banks were Inundated by water, and the staffs are engaged wringing the water out of the batik notes and documents. Trades people were unable to get their hooks out of the safes. In many cases, owing to the swelling of the paper, ledgers burst, and deeds and documents were in a hopeless mess.

An Ensign representative visited the Waimea Plains this afternoon. Only the main valley of the Mataura and Walkala rivers has been seriously affected. So far as can be learned the RiversdaleSwitaers railway Is badly damaged, and it is thought that it will be some lime before the trains are run on this branch. At Mataura town the river rose with great rapidity. It broke its banks at 9 a.m. above the town, and all houses above tlie paper mills and on the west side of the township were swamped in a very short space of time. A great panic ensued, people Hying for their homes, women and children being rescued in carts, and taken to safety. One store and one hotel were the only business places Hooded, all the shops in Bridge street ©scaping. The coal-mines were flooded. There is a washout’ on the railway line below the town, and the line is much damaged between Charlton and Mataura. Two bridges over the Waimumu stream and one over the Walkana stream were washed away. The freezing -Works suffered a good deal of damage, especially the electric light department, which will be disorganised for a few days. Mr E. Humphries, while going to the dairy factory in the morning, had a trying experience, being capsized, and carried some distance, eventually clinging to a tree; where he remained for eight hours before being rescued. Residents who returned to their homes tins morning' found tilings in a dreadful state. All along the Mataura-Gor© road dead sheep, and sheaves and bags of corn an* clinging to the fences. Had the Hood occurred an hour earlier during darkness, the result must have been calamitous, and loss of life certain. A relief committee has been formed in Gore to arrange the food supply. HATATJBA IN DISTRESS. i “At Mataura,” said our correspondent over the telephone at 3 o'clock on Saturday, there is the biggest flood for 4 5 years —much bigger than the flood of : 7S. The river was right over the bridge, and for some hours we were afraid it would he carried away. There is from three to four feet of water in the. streets, down which the water flows full" width like a stream. In the township there are about 150 people out of their houses, rescue work being done by horse and dray, and they cannot possibly get back till Sunday. At the paper mill the bridge is washed away, fmd 100 s&ppta are-marooned*. Jt ls ithr

A number of people still remained In positions which were inaccessible except by boat; and there was no boat to be had. The danger which menaced them seemed to be growing, and it became evident that their lives might be lost unless they were taken off. With highly commendable appreciation of the position Mr T. Speilin. a carpenter and joiner, set to work to construct a canvas boat, which ultimately was of great service to the rescuers. Among the last of the isolated to be taken off were some Chinamen, who conduct a market garden. They had been perched on the roof of their house since the morning, and were, according to witnesses, not outwardly perturbed by the prospect before them. Shortly before 5 p.m. their domicile shifted on its foundations and threatened to float out into the surging tide. The Celestials Immediately gave vent to their alarm In screams, which could be heard for a considerable distance away, and gesticulated wildly for help. This came to hand, apparently just in the nick of time, and ttieir lamentations at once ceased. Among those who also rendered,services in giving the warning of the approach of the flood was Mr W. McKlnna. who rode through the streets on horseback. There were many others who rendered signal service, but unfortunately they were lost run of in the excitement of the rescue work, ..

«— possible to say yet what the damage back In the country has been. Tbf river Is now slowly falling." When Mataura was visited by a representative of this paper yesterday, It was ascertained that two houses belonging re- , spectively to Messrs Johnston and Hastie had been carried away In one of these the owner was attempting to remove his furniture when the house broke away. He was rescued at great peril to the rescuing party, and was ,quite exhausted when hauled ashor* with a lifebelt and rope. A great number of people who were taking refuge In the paper mill were without food, and here again ingenuity had to be exercised in order to get supplies to them. A rope was thrown from the hill behind the mills on to the roof of the building where it was caught. Along this buckets of provisions were lowered to the /narooned refugees. The damage done inside paper mills le. expected to run'lnto four figures. It Is also stated that 150 families had to be lodged out in the higher levels on Saturday night. The losses by farmers in the district are very serious, and stock is drifting down the river from up country. Mr Dodds lost 1000 sheep and most of ills crop, and Mr Ashby is reported to have lost practically the whole of his crop the stook. AT IULTiBSTA ■ / TEE FXOODED ABE A. XEAVT DOSS OF STOCK. A DAT OB A HATSTACX. With the heavy rain of Thursday anfl Friday the Makarewa river was not long in widening out of its course, and the flood waters stretched out over wide areas of land, farming and bush, away from both banks of the stream. On Saturday morning the volume of water had reached its greatest pressure In this river, a rise of fully six feet In the river’s level being perceptible inside few hours. On Friday farmers along tiie lowlylng lands took the' precaution to get their stock to higher grounds, but when the waters rose so suddenly on Saturday they were caught like the proverbial rat in a trap, and in many instances all endeavours to get sheep, cattle and borses to a place of safety warn nullified by the sudden inrush of waters, which caused the rescuers to beat a hurried retreat, if they considered their ow* preservation bf primary importanceSome very narrow escapes from drownIng have been reported. In one particular instance it was only the arrival of a" boating party' that saved one farmer-: from imminent danger of being eventually washed off a haystack into the rush-.. Ing waters, with a depth of twenty test In many places. »

On Saturday afternoon the low-lylnff-land of the northern part of Makorewa,: along- the river front, was one Immense stretch of flood water, stretching from the railway bridge for xnjUes away inland. From the main channel of the river it was not uncommon to find the water’s edge terminate at anything front a quarter to perhaps three-quarters of a mile over the country north and south. Wire fences standing originally on fairly, rising ground could only be followed la places by the post tops which protruded above the water, while again at other points'they were completely submerged. This made the task- of attempting on' horseback to save stock a really dangerous undertaking, the strong current carrying both horse and rider down on. to the wire entanglements, when the possibility of being cut to pieces wasalways lurking. Many bones and other, stock sustained severe injuries thnough l coming -contact with the bdrhs. and oases, were reported where animals had become tangled up on the fences. ,U«W# to extricate themselves .many of tbs poor creatures were carded under and drowned. A big flood area running above the railway bridge at MaJcarewa for a distance of about five miles presented a harrowing sight of the disaster that has fallen upon owners of stock and crops. The water, spread over an areal of about half a mile to the south of tho river at this point, was on Saturday* rushing down towards the railway at atorrential pace, and hundreds of sheep and rabbits and whole fields of oats, coming within the flooded portion, were being washed away to wholesale destruction. In whatever direction the water was scanned the head of a sheep could at every “few minutes be observable as the poor'animal was fighting grimly to keeb-ita %head above. water. Some sue. ceeded and eventually got ashore. These were -only Isolated instances of success; it was only a matter of time when tbs majority were drowned, and the carcases went ahead with the current to ; be tossed up whenever and wherever circumstances might allow. The Messrs Counsell had 320 ewes gathered on an island in the flood area in the: morning, -but Jby six o’clock less than 100 of these wefe left. During tho course of the day th © waters had corn* up and swept over two hundred of tbs animals away. Three valuable brood, mares were also drowned, while with tho destruction of from 18 to 20 acres of oats and loss in other directions theso farmers estimate that the flood means a loss to them of from £SOO to £6OO. Just a few days previous io the deluge tho owners had refused £1 per head for the ewes. A flood last year also meant the loss of a considerable sum pf money to these farmers, so that their lot is aa exceedingly hard and unfortunate one. Messrs Robert and Thomas Counsell and Andrew Barr had an exciting time in endeavouring to rescue sheep from tho flood. When they brought in a herd of cows abotit eight o’clock on Saturday _ morning, the flood did not give thesllgh- , test indication of rising as rapidly a* events that followed proved. Before nine o'clock the three men made a move, on horse-back, to gather in the sheep,' but had not progressed far when they became aware that the water had deepened during the Interval. Without warning the horses were carried on to a barb-wire fence, and to give the animal® an opportunity to work free the rider* jumped into the water, which waa well over their heads at this particular spot. Barr swam to a place of safety, but th® Counsel! brothers, who were unable swim, were soon in difficulties. Thomas succeeded in getting a grip of a goes* bush, after a struggle. One of the bosses coming along, he took bold of th® animal and succeeded in working towards the water’s edge. - Robert had a stiff struggle, going side-on to the current. About twenty chains to the east, well surrounded by water, stood a straw, stack. The gullies filled with water took, him out of his depth frequently, but striking bottom here and there and taking the assistance of whatever happened along, he at last, thoroughly exhausted,; dragged himself on to the stack. Th*. water was making fast all the tine, and; tb get him off before nightfall was the, problem that confronted Thomas Counsel! and Barr. A ■ hors© could not llvs’ in the flood and at any moment the stack and its occupant might be washed away. Messengers were sent to West Plains for a boat, and Mr A Pasco v«a telephoned for about twelve o’clock to hurry to the scene with a boat. An, hour later this order was cancelled, as it had been understood that a rescue had been effected. The boat had arrived from West Plains, but on finding that It could not be floated Mr Pasco was again, communicated with. A twelve-foot dinghy was placed aboard Messrs Wat- » erston and Co.’s motor lorry, and th® outer edge of the flood area was reached shortly after four o’clock. Then dinghy was transferred to a gig and carried a mile further on. Whilst these preparations were in progress Mr D. George and other willing hands succeeded im patching up the boat originally on th® spot and Mr George brought Counsel! ashore safely before five o'clock. Although cold, wet and hungry Counsel! was, not a great deal the worse for hi® enforced slay of about eight hours on th*? stack. Mr Pasco launched his dinghy and set out to rescue ®« many sheep as possible, being successful in getting several on to dry ground. Towards six o'clock the Hood waters had receded considerably, and by loot evening the main danger hud passed, as far as this vicinity was cone med. Mr Pasco, who was called to Mekarewa pn a somewhat similar mission iB the big flood that visited Southland in 1184, told -a Times reporter that he did »®t think the latest flood was quite as extensive In the Makarewa district. Almost at 'th® particular locality where Coun®ell waa marooned on Saturday, two mea named Gill and Hammond were rescued from a tree by a boating party,' headed by Mr Pasco, after they had been cornered by the flood waters for two oe three day®. UDraESBEV abtd SKCIIR. The results of the fleods ta Bad around Lumsden have bee* very Bcriono, and the loss to many of tb® fanners wtt j>*£reat< Pne. farnw u llibwHmc®*—<

loat 800 sheep, and numerous other farmers have also suffered, many flocks of one and two hundred being reported as missing.’ The river bed is also strewn with the carcases of horses. ( cattle, as well as with Innumerable sheaves. In the township’itself in some of the houses the water was fully three feet deep. It ajso entered the shops, and the damage caused in this way will be very serious. Numerous washouts were reported, pnd the traffic from both the Invercargill and Queenstown routes was greatly hampered. The train which left Invercargill at 7 a.m. on Friday and the one which left two hours later arrived In Lumsden at 1.30, p.m. yesterday. It appears that , the water at some parts was so high that the fires In the engines were put out. '(he trains were also delayed by washouts just south of Lumsden, and on Saturday night It was found necessary .-to,send out trollies to bring the passengers into the township. The trollies were also sent out to bring in passengers (rpm the Kingston train,, many of whom had travelled from Queenstown. During the flood period the accommodation in the township was taxed to the utmost. WAIATT. The Waiau river on Saturday was at Record height, and great trees were being •Wept down as if they were merely corks. The punt at Tuatapere survived a tryordeal, but at times its chances of rpmafhlng intact were unsafe to gamble <m, even at the very longest odds. All Ipw-lylng land was covered with waler, apd losses In crops and stock are reported to be large. Clifden has not suffered as much as have other parts, but jOfge losses are complained of at Orawia. hount z,znton. :,The county bridges in this district are •aid to be safe, but the suspension bridges at Mount Linton and Rannock have been washed away. Farmers will be heavy losers, and when the flood was at Its height, it was expected that there would be loss of life, but, fortunateijp, ho such event happened. WHETS BUIIS. The waters from the Aparlma covered all the surrounding country, and, as far as the eye could see, there was one big continued stretch of water. The water Invaded the post-office, and the residents had altogether a most trying and uncomfortable time. Whole crops have vanished, and the number of dead stock is •aid to be very large. A number of small bridges are said to ba.ve been washed away, but the protective banks erected some years ago near Stroud's corner gticcessfully resisted the attack. KDAVABS HUSK. The flood reached the country between Gorge Road and Walmaliaka late on Saturday, and spread out all over the surrounding country Inflicting great damage and loss. On Saturday night the late train from Invercargill to Walmahaka was able to get no further than Gorge Road. s OTAUTAU DISTRICT. There has been great, damage done to both the business places in Otautau, and to the surrounding country. There have not only been many sheep and cattle hashed down the rivers, but stooks, and In some cases stacks, have also been completely carried away. The flood entered ‘many houses In 'the township, . Which have never been before troubled in this way, and business was for a considerable time ehtirelj' suspended. In some of the residences the water was fully three feet deep, it was impossible to light fires, and In consequence the cooking of food was out of the question. The whole town was li> fact Inundated. Messrs J. E. Watson and Co.’s grain store, in which- were stacked thousands of- bags of grain, had at least a foot of •water In it, and their loss will be a heavy one. There was also two feet of water in the N*.M. and A. Co.’s store, and they will also be very heavy losers. About half of the Yellow Bluft bridge was carried completely away, and it lodged about a mile down stream, where It remains Intact, with the exception of a few missing piles. The approaches to Hazlett’s bridge near Thornbury were also completely washed away, while close to the township a fairly large gap r was made in the railroad. Near Fairfax there was fully a mile, nearly three feet deep, of the railway washed away, and It is not expected that there will be a train able to reach Fairfax from Otaulau for at least a couple of days. A party set out from Otautau for Rlver'ton In a buggy, but only reached as far as the Aparlma Dairy Factory, when they found that the flood thereabouts was still very high and progress was impossible. Help, however, came from Riverton, a launch from there carrying the passengers on to their destination. The hotels at Otautau were all packed on Friday and Saturday nights, and travellers displayed commendable courtesy In yielding up their rooms to those . rendered for the time being homeless by the floods. The carters of Otautau were working all night bringing in residents whose houses were flooded, and but for their assistance more than one fatal accident would probably have occurred. HCAHOOHED. A large number of motorists ran out to Wallacetown on Saturday to see what appearance the country wore at the iron bridge over the Oreti, where the land is very susceptible to floods. 1 Meantime the Makarewa was rapidly rising, and the water soon encroached on the road between Wallacetown and Underwood. Ifi colisequence about a dozen motor •ebrs and their occupants found it impossible tb return, apd had perforce to make the "bfst of a bad Job. Some of those Who Were cht oft, however, Journeyed round by Makarewa, and got home that tfay. RABBITS. The rabbit tribe, as it always does during a flood, had a very bad time, and there has been In consequence a very bjfeh death rate. In many of the afflicted, districts residents —small boys and nondescript dogs being greatly in evidence—made the most of the opportunity, and the half-drowned creatures as they sought the higher ground, were Slaughtered in hundreds. HOADS AND BRIDGES. Both In the Wallace and Southland Counties the damage to roads and bridges has been very extensive, and by the tlpne matters ha.ve been remedied, both the County Councils will have had made 'considerable inroads into the amounts of money that they have available. In consequence the lives of County Councillors for some time to come will probably be similar to Gilbert's policeman—“rot a happy one.’’ fatalities reported. One of the most remarkable tilings in connection with the floods is the fact that there »Were not more fatalities. The lives of hundreds of people, when the trouble was at Its height, were In Jeopardy, but, fortunately, the death list is a short one. Escapes of an almost miraculous nature are of such a number as to make their recording a sheerImpossibility, but It is a surety that, in this resoect,. many Bouthlanders are not ever lively to forget the big flood of 1013. , Mr David Younger, a farmer of Gropers’ Bush has been missing since 8.30 o’clock on Friday night last when he set out to look after some cattle. A search was made by the police yesterday, but the only trace found of the nil&alng man was Ills hat. which was discovered near a large lagoon immediately below fils own farm, Mr Younger lara married man with throe or four of a family. A little girl named Vcint. about nine years of age, was drowned at Five Rivers on Saturday through fatting into a tpater-hole. The body of J. Walsh. who was drowned in the Otaplri River on Friday was yesterday discovered by Constable Anderson. The body was lying in about ,>> four feet of water, and was within a Iff*! . few" feet of the spot where deceased fell r 'in. Walsh Is a married man. 5S years ‘ , old, and leaves a family. ■ . - DIFTON. From details given to a reporter hy a copple of local tradesmen who came through lar-t evening after a wait of three days for the railway service there to be linked up. Dipton and its vicinity do nut appear to Have suffered badly from (he flood compared with the’exterfencCK of other places. Although a number of sheep, cattle and horses were tawt, and crops were washed away in

the low lying parts adjacent to the Oreti river, farmers appeared to have had sufficient warning to enable them to get their Stock on to high ground. The river commenced to rise with Thursday’s rain, and the water advanced two feet inside the space of half an hour in the early portion of Friday afternoon. All round the district the roads have suffered severe damage, and what bridges have not been washed away are now very. Insecure on the foundations. Lower Dipton was Hooded on Friday, but the waters receded inside twenty-four hours. The road bridge between Dipton and Benmore is now in an impassable state, and the road for a distance of a quarter of a mile has been scraped almost clean of gravel. The 'bridge over Shag Creek also failed to withstand the buffeting of the waters, and for a distance of thirty or forty yards on the approaches gigantic holes hav* been scooped out. Two men. with thei’? horses and dogs, were marooned on Sia island during Friday night being eventually rescued on Saturday afternoon by the aid of ropes. When the Hood was at its height on Friday a hut belonging to Mr J. Dunipace was lifted from Its resting place, turned roof downwards, and in that position was carried by the water for a distance of a quarter of a mile. CENTRE BUSH. The flat land around Centre Bush was soon submerged when the Oreti overflowed Its banks at this part, and farmers made a rush to clear their stock to safer territory. There was a big washout on the railway line near the Centre Bush station, and the yard also suffered considerably. The repairing gang were at work on this portion of the line yesterday, and effected repairs in time for trains to get through late in the evening. So far no really heavy losses of stock have been reported from this quarter, but it would only be the promptitude of the farmers concerned that could obviate this disaster, as with an abnormal rainfall the Oreti soon spreads over the surrounding low lying country. WAXAHTWA. The flood waters from the country above finally raached the W atanlwa flats, and In that locality also farmers’ losses in stock and crops were very heavy on Fridav night and Saturday. At Oporo the overflow waters carried a portion of the railway away, and spread out to Branxholm on the one side and IVaianiwa on the other. Messrs Ronald Bros, suffered heavily on Friday night when they placed a line of about 150 sheep, a dozen cattle and two horses on what they Imagined was territory that would be immune from the flood waters. But the morning hours revealed a tale of hardship, and the full list was lost. Five horses, the property of Mr James Blue, were also drowned, and other settlers have suffered losses in both stock and crops. What the full tally is will not be available until the flood waters have permanently subsided. NEW RIVER BERRY. Curious to view the results of the flood hundreds of townspeople journeyed out the Bay Road yesterday to take a glimpse at what was visible to the eye In the country beyond the junction of the Otatara and Riverton Beach roads. After passing this point the water still had Its meshes spread over the soil, and for miles and miles In all directions a gigantic lake of water met the eye. Fosbender’s property was almost totally submerged. The bridge at the Ferry could not bo discerned, and the old buildings to the left of It could be traced only by the roof tops. Messrs Fosbenders .must have lost a considerable number of stock during the past three days, even/ despite the valiant efforts that would be made to get them to a place of safety. VARIOUS ITEMS, The extent of the flood further north Is indicated by the fact that even the Mount Cook Hermitage Is closed owing to serious damage by floods. Messrs H. and J. Smith’s new premises at Gore suffered, the flood waters rising to the height of the counters. The loss to the firm will be considerable, as all the new season’s goods have been damaged. A NARROW ESCAPE. * The police received a call on Saturday morning from West Plains, where a man and a boy were cut off by the flood on Mr Rein’s farm. A boat was taken out by a lorry and manned by Constables McPherson and Tonkinson and Mr Wilkes, and rowed for three-quarters of a mile to where Michael Forde and a boy named Simpson had taken refuge in a tree. It appears that they went out early In the morning to muster cattle on to the high lands and they were cut off by the rising water. They made .for the trees, and had five feet of water below them when they were rescued. The rescue party saw hundreds of cattle with only their noses above water, the water was still rising, and the losses In this respect were expected to be enormous. THE RAILWAYS. As can readily be appreciated, the railway officials have had a most anxious and laying time, ami they have met the enormous , difficulties which confronted them with grim determination, emerging from the task with Infinite credit to themselves. The Engineer (Mr A, J. McCredlc) quickly realised that he was "hard up against it,” and with the aid of a willing and competent staff things are again beginning to appear shipshape. Gangs of men were quickly organised, even some railway clerks volunteering, and night and day the work of repairing never ceased. Consequently, to-day the Traffic Department, arc able to relieve the minds of many people who have journeys to perform. With the exception of the Bluff-Invercargill stretch, every other lino in the Southland section had one or more breaks. On tlie main line the most serious washout occurred about three miles north of Gore, and between Mataura and Gore. At one time it was thought improbable that traffic would be resumed to-day. but so rapidly was the repairing work shoved along, that a train was able to get through from Clinton to the break north of Gore last night, and from there the passengers and malls were transferred to another train at the Invercargill end of the break. Meanwhile, rapid progress was being made at the Mataura washout, and at midnight last night a train conveying passengers and mails fi-om the' North was able to get through to Invercargill. The authorities are hopeful that ttie break north of Gore will be finally dealt with early this morning, so that the probabilities are Hint this morning’s express will run through as usual. There is a stoppage' at R.mgitata (Canterbury), however, owing to the Rangltata bridge being deemed to be unsafe, and passengers to-day will be booked no further north than that point. On the Waikaka and Switzers brandies there will be no traffic to-day and a similar state of affairs exists between Edcndale and Wyndhnm. The Department. however, has arranged for a bus •service to run between these two places, until the railway line is repaired. On tiie Seaward Bush line the Interruption that occurred on Saturday has been removed, and there are no li*pediments on the Waimea Plains line. With the ’exception of a break at Oporo the track is clear to Tuatapere, and in case it Is not fixed this morning, the Department lias made arrangements to transfer passengers across U to another train, which will be waiting on the other side. Between Thornbury and Otautau there will be no traffic to-day. but trains will run between Nigh leaps and Otautau. The Mossburn branch will be unfit for traffic for a few days yet, and it is doubtful if traffic will be resumed on the Hedgehope branch to-day. although the authorities are hopeful of having it ready. The line between Invercargill and.Lumsden Is again clear, and the section between Lumsden and Kingston wilt also probably be in its normal state today. In any case arrangements liav* been made to bring through mails and passengers. FLOODS IN CANTERBURY. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 30. As a result of a norwester on Thursday and Friday the Walmakiriri river on Saturday was in high flood. The North Road from Chaney* was impassable for cars or cycles, but traps could get along. About half a mile past the Empire bridge Hie water was at a depth of 2 ft. 6 ins. The Clarkville district was flooded as far north as the school. Dead

sheep were floating down the main stream In large numbers. The mailman from Kalapol could not get through. The Hood waters subsided by 5 o’clock. nOODS HT CENTRAL OTAGO. WAJPORI POWER STATION* CUT OEF TROUBLE. IN’ DUNEDIN*. DUNEDIN*. March 30. Very heavy'rains were experienced in the Otago Central at the end of last week, causing considerable loss to farmers, principally in grain. . At Bald Hill Flat one of the river dredges sank during Friday night. The rain has now ceased, and the flood Maters ate recedIng. Tho exceptional downpours caused a flood in the Waipori River, and early on Saturday morning a portion of the Hunting supplying the water to the power house was carried away, thus cutting off the supply of electric current to the cUv trams, and factories. The. Corporation steam plant in Cumberland street was at once started, at- full capacity, and supplied power to the trams, which ran a restricted service. The loss of electric current was severely felt at night in the shops and private houses, which had to resort to kerosene and candles, and the main streets were without their customary night glare, except where gas Is always used. Many of the drapers’ shops in George street were lighted with bicycle lamps and candles. As the break In the fluming Is considerable, power may not be available for a day or two. The weather is now fine. FLOODS IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. TIMARU, March 30. The damage to the Rangltata bridge on Saturday morning (said to be the highest for 30 years) dislocated train traffic. The expresses from the north and the Territorial train were each four hours late. -The passengers, mails and luggage crossed the river on a sheep bridge attached to the railway bridge. Yesterday a strong repair gang tvas at work, and it is hoped to restore the bridge by to-morrow. The Hermitage reports that the flood has subsided there. The annexe is somewh'at undermined and listed, and the small outhouses have gone. The roads are much damaged, and mails must be packed through for a few days.