FLOODS

Southland Times, Issue 17308, 2 April 1913, Page 5

FLOODS

CONDITION OF GORE. CLEANING UP. (Per United Press Association.) GORE, April 1. ' Local tradesmen were busy this morninp:, working in shirt sleeves, and disposing of sadly damaged goods at absurdly small prices. Several auction, sales were held on the pavement In. front of shops. Unfortunately looting la going on, principally in the drapery establish ments. One of the worst features of the disaster is the lack of sufficient water For a short time in the morning the mains were filled, and those who were alive to the fact laid in a small stock for Immediate use. A steam fire engine got to work in the afternoon at the pumping station and commenced , pumping direct into the mains. At fi.SO it was reported that the water had reached the reservoir, and pumping is being continued with tlie hope of obtaining an adequate supply for sanitation. The condition waslikely to become serious, but the prompt action of the Council officials in getting a water supply obviates this danger to -tu very great extent, A hasty estimate of the damage to th* business quarter this morning indicated.' that it will run into some £30,000 alonft in Main, Mersey, and Medway streetsThis figure does not include damage to buildings and other property. The blgr gest reported losers are H. and J. Smith) and McGruer. Taylor and Co., drapers, £2OOO each; Lewis and Co., drape*** £2000; Mac Gibbon and Co., drapery, groceries and boots, and Thomson and I Beattie, drapers, each £1600; Federai| Hardware Co., Ltd., £1400; Farmers’ Co-’ op. Universal Stores. Wright, Stephenson and Co., merchandise department; A, R. Watson, bookseller, £IOOO each. Smaller tradespeople suffered amounts varying from £7OO down to £ldg Many are affected in both their business premises and their homes. What amount! of damage occurred in private houses ta hard to say, but it is very considerable indeed. The grain stores and fellmoagery also suffered considerably. • A, number of flooded out residents had fires in their homes all yesterday. Many, whose bedding was not seriously aftec-; ted spent the night under their owiu roofs. Others will not be able to retuml for several days, and are still billeted on,* friends on the higher levels. Everywhere blankets, bedding, linoleums, amt rugs are being dried on fences and. hedges. fc The citizens have made very good nsau y of the time since the water subsided, from the appearance of things In the* afternoon before long the majority ofl them will be housed, making good gardens and stocking fowl runs. The Railway Department will have td make a heavy expenditure, on the Switzers branch line particularly. Clearing up operations were continued in the Malaura paper mills this morning. The damage to the main race is not so bad as at first anticipated, and it is hoped to have the mill re-started in • about a month's lime. At the freezing * works a few rabbits were received, that majority going to Bluff and Makarawa-f All mutton and lamb loaded out will ba shipped away as opportunity affords. AH the butchers are employed at clearing up work. The race has been cleaned out, and suffered little damage. The company intends to put in concrete work as a protection against future floods. The slit! and rubbish have been cleared away from the electric light machinery, and it Is expected that power will be obtained inf about two days’ time. HOW OTAUTAU FARED. > COMPARATIVELY LIGHT LOSSES. AN INCIDENT AT WRETS BUSH. TWO MEN IN DANGER. Observations made In the Eastern district yesterday show that the losses, sustained there have been comparatively small in relation to the damage done in. the Gore, Mataura and Wyndbam districts. At Wallacetown and In that ‘district cartloads of sheep carcases which had • been skinned were being carted off th» farms, and five loads from Mr Morris’s farm were met near the iron bridge. With the exception of “a backwater, about eighteen inches deep across the road approaching the iron bridge, tho road ns far as Otautau -was clear of surface water, an<) even the accumulation; mentioned had been diminished by evening. ; At Fairfax there is abundant testl-' mony as to the force of the flood. A big haystack has lodged against the culvert bridge on the town side of the railway, fences have been stripped of their wires, or are torn- up and scattered in alt directions, and on every hand are heaps of flax bundles from the mills higher up the Aparima mixed with sheaves of oats and wheat and occasional pieces of timber. The flood swept area is. however, comparatively small at this point, mainly on account of the rising ground on, either side. The roads on the other side of the river as far as Otautau and on to Wrey’s Bush, have been more or less damaged by tlie removal of binding, and by water courses which have broken across the roads wherever it runs in a hollow. These have, however, now been filled in by the county surfacemen, who have been successful in making the roads reasonably safe. The streets in Otautau still hear traces of the flood. Here also the binding has vanished completely, and the channels at eitlrer side of the streets are filled w'lth loose gravel. Besides this small damage, which, It is expected, will be righted without recourse to any other means than the local authority’s maintenance account, there lias been some damage to property. The water in th® business premises rose to the average height of one foot, but the river had been carefully watched, and the losses were consequently much smaller than they would have been had the flood come upon; the town without warning. It was given as an authoritative estimate that £lo* will cover tlie direct losses of any one shopkeeper. The flood waters seem tohave coursed along beside the railway line, and then swept across the town below the business area, and thence out on to the open country. The point ofl their turning, judged from the sconring; was in the vicinity of the railway sta- / tion. and it appears that even in that / locality Hie height of the water little more than two feet above th® ground level. In Mr .lohn Fisher's offic* the water rose one foot,but did very little damage. “Of all the books belonging to the various companies in whieh I am interested there is not one in which m. single figure is even discoloured,” Said. Mr Fisher. The river protective work* did a pood deal towards saving property in Uu* town. I*';)rmt*rs. jllbo, paid only b lively small tithe in the toll of the goods, A warning which was heeded in time resulted in their being able to sav® practically all of their stock, but crops had here and there to bo left to th® mercy of tlie waters. Mr Wm. Lindsaylost a crop, while Mr W. Fullerton, at Gropers's Bush, lost one of the finest wheat crops ever raised in the district. This covered an area of 10S acres, and was fence high when the flood reduced it to worthlessness. Minor losses in stock are reported from various farms along the river. The bridges which have disappeared before the devastating waters include that known as the Yellow Bluff bridge. It was. however, in a very dilapidated condition and a grant for the purpose having been obtained, was to have been rebuilt shortly in any case.

The Wrpy's Bush bridge (s reported to have stood throughout the flood, which was more widely felt in that neighbourhood Ilian at any other part of the district.

i An experience which might have re- | suited far more seriously than it did I betel a mini her of workmen at Mclndoe's mill at Wrey’s Bus;;, and two constables who went out from Otautau who attempted their rescue. Word was rei eeivpd in Otautau.that four men were i in a dangerous position at the mill. Two I of them swam ashore, but the other two, who were somewhat differently situated, failed to find a means of escape. A boat was loaded on to a dray and taken out from Otautau by Constables McClinchey and Callanan, but it was too flimsy a concern to he of any service. Within a ! few minutes of Us launching it was caught against a fence and sank, and Hie occupants received a ducking, but managed to struggle out of the water, which was flowing very rapidly. The two men who remained in danger were in a hut. and a rope was thrown to them. They were, however, adverse to taking the risk of being swept away while being pulled across the channel, and they remained in the hut for some hours. ■Luckily- -jhe- jaojt, jJLsa. higher

and they were, therefore, not farther endangered. At this point the current ran very fast, and quantities of freshly cut green flax was carried away, added to which a large amount of the cleaned fibre was swept off Uie drying fences and deposited wherever It encountered an obstacle. Tills is living gathered and will be treated again, hut tin- direel and Indirect losses at the mill are expected run into some hundreds of pounds, A REASSURING STATEMENT. FIVE RIVERS LOSSES LIGHT. Mr Fred. Loughnan, manager for Messrs Dalgety and Co.. Ltd., Invercargill, writes as follows; Your very full reports of the recent floods in Southland will be read wirli attention throughout New Zealand, and I fear may he accepted as giving an accurate account of the losses and devastation wrought thereby. This lining the case. I crave your Indulgence to correct what may otherwise lead to a false Impression. In your issue this morning you remark in reference to the Five Rivers settlement. "A number of Canterbury settlers purchased parts of Give Rivers Estate, and were enthusiastic regarding the quality of the land, hut how they feel now was not indicated to the reporter.” This inference is quickly answered. The Canterbury settlers on Ulve Rivers run upwards of 1 tLOOO sheep and their total loss in stock is well under 100, and winter feed has not been damaged. These facts speak for themselves. It is impossible to give a general statement of losses specific denial, but your report mentions the Five Rivers settlers. and 1 am fortunately in a position to give a correct view of their position. It is stated that Hie recent Hood is Hie moat severe experienced since ISIS, otherwise the most severe known lo Fonthland. and the above facts will go to prove that the Five Rivers is an eminently safe district. Reports received by the various stock and Station Agents in Invercargill and Gore I am glad to say are very reassuring, and although the considerable loss sustained by farmers to their fences, and in some instances to crops is lo he deplored, it is a great satisfaction to know that stock has generally been saved, and with the exception of one or two unfortunate cases stock, losses are not large. THE NIGHTCAPS LINE RESTORED. The work of restoring railway communication with Nightcaps has been pushed forward with such energy that a train was able to go through last night, at least hours earlier than was anticipated. The train consisted of an engine and thirty “empties," the return of which to-day with Nightcaps coal will do something to meet the shortage that was caused by the stoppage of supplies. On nil hands the manner in which Hie repair staffs under Hie direction ot Air McCredie have worked in order to restore railway facilities is spoken of in terms 0f unstinted admiration. AVAIKAAVA VALLEV. Although rain fell all night on Thursday night, and most of Friday, it was not so heavy as it appears to have been further inland. The fields are left wet and sodden, hut there was not what could be called a flood on the river. The crops are all cut, and the most of them arc In the stack. —Own Correspondent, W AI KARA. One of the biggest floods experienced here for many years began on Friday afternoon last. Much damage to roads, culverts and crops is certain, but as regards the railway we have tiad no train now for two days, and letters have come through only at great danger, so it is not known how the embankments along the line have stood tha test. The crews on the dredges along the valley were for some considerable time in great danger. So long as their anchors stood they were safe, but they could neither get off nor could the next shift get on, and the men had to do a starve for many hours. For some time the Waikaka main bridge was in great danger of being carried away, as it is the western approach is washed away and other damage done lo the roadway. Fencing and low-lying crops have suffered most. Of course there has been some loss of stock, but the real total is only guessed at. It will take some little time for any accurate estimate of the loss to be arrived at. but the loss ratepayers will suffer through damage to roads, culverts and bridges, is certain to run into thousands ttf pounds. AN OLD RESCUE. To the Editor. Bftr. —I see by the morning's paper that you have made a sad mistake in the lyO-t flood in taking Gill and Hammond out of a tree. it was Nelson and Hammond. Gill had charge of the boat. There were two Pascoes and two policemen e-Emoraon and Burrows. — I am, etc., EDWARD GILL. Elies land. TUESDAY IN GORE. (Contributed by a Visitor.) In the past, a trip to our chief inland town has, to the casual visitor, usually been a pleasure, more especially if the day chosen for the visit proved lo be bright and fine. With its fine wide main street, cleanly and spacious, and its well built residences with Hour general air of comfort and prosperity. spreading from the railway station as a centre and extending on to Hie IHli slopes, and backed by the imposing peaks of the Kastern Hokonnis, the residents of tin-old-time Longford and now the thriving centre of the Eastern District, had every reason to be pleased with their little city. Ttie visitor of yesterday would, however, have, unfortunately, a different tale to tell. .Stepping off the railway platform a few minutes after the usual 7.J0 u,m. time of arrival. The express having to ease up as certain “weak" portions of the line approaching Gore were negotiated, the visitor might well be forgiven tor gaping somewhat at the unusual aspect Hie town presents. Starting with Alain street the Council have recently been engaged in re-melal-Hng the surface. Luckily, we should say, tlie metal had been placed somewhat on the eastern side of Hie thoroughfare, and as a result It was not displaced, for the Hood waters hail apparently been stronger on the western wide. Had tho rough metal been on that side of the street on which the Rank of New Zealand stands, a good deal of it would possibly have been deposited on the footpath and idled up against the building frontages. As it is this did not happen, and although the street presents a jagged and Jaded appearance, still tilings niight have been c worse. But when one views the simps cm which Gore Inis always had fair reason to pride itself, an idea of the calamity which has struck the town is immediately obtained. Yesterday morning. Instead of the shutters being taken down bright and early for tlie resumption of ordinary business, the tradespeople were engaged In cleaning out Hie sill and water wliic-.ii had devastated their premises ami ruined their goods. And what a contract! Here a draper with broom and bucket swilling ami washing his floor in an apparently hopeless attempt to get it into decent order. There a bootmaker gazing with sorrowful aspect at glace kids, tans, or high-class ladies' slippers, no longer tit to grace anybody's feet. Tlie Town Clerk, in gum boots, with his staff, engaged in demonstrating to Hie remnants of the Mataura river still in Hie Council Chambers, that although the City Fathers had from time to time,devised schemes for borough improvements, they were neither anxious nor willing to have Hi>- said river making another call of the rude nature it had done. in fact, from one end of the (street to the other everyone was busy pelting his premises into as good shape as possible, for the- citizens of Gore arcnothing if not enterprising, and they recognised that although lliey had had a blow which might almost he torrned a knock-out one. still they had not been counted out: nor did they intend to be. Even Hie banks those Institutions which furnish us with the ott used phrase "as sound as Hie bank” —showed signs of wear- anil tear, for the Australasia. opposite Hu- railway station—showed a high water mark which was certainly never provided for in the Articles of Association. The Union with a view to temporary necessities and possible contingencies was escoucc-d upstairs in the Ensign Chambers, whilst If one had called on the managers of the New Zealand or National, they might possibly have been found supervising tho drying of notes, deeds, etc. The morning being lino and mild, tlie residents of the aide streets, in the flood am. ha/t seized the advantage to get

their goods and chattels into the air for drying purposes, while at the same tlrno their houses might get the necessary cleansing. On fences and hedges, carpets. mgs, clothing and multitudinous other tilings were spread to dry. and it was a sad pity to see the havoc which had hcen done to articles of utility, act. and household goods generally. The residents out .lacohslown way must also have had a very laid time of it. judging hy the evidences similar to the above which were displayed on every hand. Altogether, to a stranger walking through the town the sight was a sorry one, and eould not fail to stir - feelings of sympathy for those who had been flooded out. On the afternoon the town was thronged, and tlio local auctioneers had their hands full. A well-known drapery firm hud Mr .1. .1. t! reeu knocking down bargains by the dozen. I'wenty yards further along an auction was being conducted in front of A. It. Watson’s book-selling establishment, and if the literary capacity of Gore and district Is gauged by the (quantity of literature purchased. then the desire for mental culture should he rewarded by the establishment of an up-to-date uni versify eapalde of imparting all branches of knowledge The purchases ranged from family B Mes to exercise books. Indeed, bargain-' of all sorts were the order of the day ■! i along the street. Unfortunately ~ ring the afternoon rain again fell, ami "ying operations would bo rendered ih -• i: 11. In spite of everything, however, H is certain that Gore will very sin.’ iy assume its normal appearance, an I lie once again the bright, cheerful, wholesome town it was prior to I'Tiday night. The Council, with commendable promptitude. is dealing with necessary street repairs, and a splendid feature of the whole affair is the assistance which has been rendered by those fortunate enough lo escape the (loml to those who suffered its devastating inlluenee. Any trouble in this way lias been no trouble, and thus many kindly actions hate been done which will live long in the memories of the recipients, 'Numerous meritorious deeds have been performed, and conspicuous bravery lias been shown, although such deeds and bravery may not indeed, will not ■ reach the public car. The hoods have also had its humours, and citizens even now can laugh at some of S(ie happenings. For instance that of the gentleman who. after an immersion of a prolonged nature, requested a, cigarette. As a result of the Hood the enterprising piano vendor should have a good time in Gore in the near future, for many valuable instruments were spoiled utterly. Taken altogether the sufferers appear to lie facing the situation bravely, and with cheery optimism, and as soon as things art —its the Scotch say—■'redded up.” Gore will again asume its usual .aspect of peace, plenty and prosperity. VAIIUH'S ITKMS, Although a warning approach of the floods was given some hours ahead only one business man in Gore took the precaution to place his stock in a position of safety. He had it removed to the upstairs portion of his premises on !■ riday evening and is now happy in the knowledge that he can return it intact when the danger has passed. .lust outside of Mat aura dozens of carcases of sheep, devoid of their hides, are strewn about iu localities adjacent to where they had made their final struggle against (lie flood waters. Hallway communication between Invercargill and Gore, which was interrupted hy several washouts north and soutli of Mataura. is now restored and the timetable running of trains is being kept ;us near the schedule as possible. The Mataura Island settlers profited hy the warnings that were out of the approach of the floods, and lost no time in getting their stock on to the high country. A few sheep were lost, but the damage all told lias been very slight in this part of the Eastern district. Flood sufferers in Gore are regarding things as philosophically as human mortals can. Inwardly they may feel depressed, hut the outward sign is as cheerful as one could reasonably expect. “It's been terrible, hasn't it?” was the somewhat unnecessary remark made to one heavy loser. “Oh, yes, its bad, but it might have been worse. 1 haven’t got much" left, hut still you see I’m here myself." Talking of bargain sales, the flood aftermath provides them freely and gives bargain hunters an opportunity that, as one Gore auctioneer reminded his bidders. as he put up every fresh lot yesterday, "would never occur again in a lifetime.” And many fervently hoped that his prophecy was the correct one. “Who wants straw hats. Is half dozen?” ".Me.” came the answer from somewhere in the crowd on the street front. "Right oh, and you can have some chaff to go with them,” was the humorous retort of the auctioneer. Business men confident in the old axiom that a bird in the hand is worth two In the bush” have been pushing off their damaged wares with all expedition, Mr John Carmichael, of Mataura Island, was one of the many who endured hardships in connection with the recent flood, and for the greater part of a dav and night he had to sit astride of the roof of his dwelling. Mr Carmichael had. perhaps, the best crop of oats in Southland, his stacks remained Intact, although saturation may have to be met with eventually. The machinery in Mr Fred O'Neill's cordial manufactory at Gore was destroyed iu rather a peculiar manner during tile height of Saturday's Hood. Three planks that gave the appearance of having come some distance down t lit* Mataura river from one of the dredge workings in the upper reaches were washed into the premises, and deposited hy tlie waters righl on top of the machinery, whirl, was damaged beyond repair. All the jars and bottles in the factory were broken, and the sugar in stuck was completely soaked. Several photographs of the heavy Mood of Saturday last were on view in Gore yesterday, and give a very wvid indication of the scene that ruled when the Hood waters were at their height. Tile destruction of fences as a result of Hie recent Hoods is going to prove a costly item. Half the portion of several chains of corrugated iron fence on the railway side of the Gore show grounds was washed fiat with tlie ground, and the remainder has been shitted from its original position and moved southwards a distance of several yards. Picket fences fronting several residences in the town have been wholly or at least partially damaged by the Hood waters. Reports from the country districts indicate that miles and miles of wire fences will require to be renewed. At itie meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery yesterday, the Rev. A, Gray referred to the disastrous Hoods that had overtaken Hie Mataura district, and moved that the 'Presbytery send a telegram lo Hu clerks of Mataura and South lam! Presbyteries expressing sympathy with all those who had suffered