FLOODED RIVERS

Southland Times, Issue 20617, 16 October 1928, Page 8

FLOODED RIVERS

MATAURA STILL RISING ANXIOUS TIME FOR FARMERS ROADS UNDER WATER While North Otago is suffering from a drought Southland is experiencing a flood which, if not severe enough to cause serious financial loss, is giving farmers an anxious time succouring their stock. Both in the Western and Eastern Districts, the rivers are running high, but whereas the Waiau and the Oreti are falling the Mataura was rising steadily yesterday. The snow that fell during the week-end in the back country has been responsible for considerable losses among lambs while on the flats nearer Invercargill stock have been endangered by big volumes of surface water. The Oreti was at its worst on Sunday overflowing the Riverton-Invercargill road on either side of the iron bridge. Scarcely any cars were able to get through, but by yesterday morning the river had fallen a little and only on the western side of the bridge was the road under water. It was still deep enough here to give motorists a great deal of trouble, though all were able in the end to get through. The earlier and more venturesome drivers did not have smooth passages, several cars coming to rest in the middle of the water, to suffer the indignity of being towed out. The road had been scoured out in places and the cars were submerged above the exhaust at times. Yesterday afternoon several cars were drawn up on either side of the stretch of water which was pouring across the roadl Drivers were busy making preparations to cover their engines, particularly that delicate part, the distributor, 'before venturing through the flood. None of the carsf had any difficulty in getting through after this precaution. • ,To the south of the road water was lying on several farms to a considerable depth, causing the stock owners an anxious time. When the Oreti flooded last year the bulk of the water came through on the east side of the iron bridge, but the washing away of a flood bank and a cut recently made caused the water to break through on the Riverton side, much to the dismay of the farmers in that vicinity. Though there was a fair amount of water lying on the paddocks yesterday between Winton and Lumsden there was no interruption to traffic, the roads being clear. As illustrative of the arduous tasks farmers had to face to prevent logs of stock the experience of a farmer in the Oreti district may be quoted. To reach a flock of very valuable hoggets, which were in danger of being marooned and drowned, the farmer had to swim through a stretch of swirling water 100 yards wide. The Waiau river has been higher than for many years. It was feared that it might break through near Tuatapere but the waters began to subside before this occurred. Power Board officials state that the power station at Monowai is not in any way endangered though the river was carrying a huge volume of water. At Gorge Road. Late last evening. Mr. Neiderer reported that the Mataura River was well above normal and still rising. The river fell on Sunday evening but was rising all day Monday. Although the water was over the road traffic was not interefered with and there was no report of any stock lost. The river has been high for the past, fortnight and water is still lying on all the flat ground. Eastern District Rivers. Heavy rain fell at Gore over the weekend. while similar conditions prevailed in the surrounding districts. For the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. yesterday .90 inches were recorded at Gore, the heaviest fall being between 9 p.m. and mid-night on Sunday The consistent soaking which the ground has received during the past month has caused the water to bank up on low lying sections and yesterday morning many Gore residents awoke to find parts of their gardens submerged. The additional rainfall has also had its effect upon the rivers and the Mataura, which was four feet above normal at Gore, had risen to about five feet by yesterday afternoon. As it takes some time for the fresh from the upper reaches to come down a further rise may be expected, particularly in the event of a warm wind springing up. Roads Flooded. All the streams in the Waikaka Valley district are running high, and in some cases they have flooded the roads, which at some points are deeply submerged. At McNab there is a fair volume of water over the road, as the Waikaka River is running, very high. On the main north road between McNab and Pukerau there is a lot of water, and the bridge at Cunningham’s was under water to a depth sufficient to cover the running boards of a car. At Willowbank the road is flooded and on the Waikoikoi road towards Tapanui there are further floods. Motorists who negotiated the deviation at Arthurt on complain bitterly of the terrible state of the road deviation. The surface is very greasy and the sharp pinches make driving a nightmare. It would be impossible to get over this piece of road without chains, and even with chains it is no easy" task. Part of the road between Riversdale and Waikaia is also flooded. The road above Mandeville carried a heavy current of water yesterday morning, and some- private cars were held up. The buses,- however, ploughed through the stream without mishap. It is reported that yesterday morning the Waipahi was backing up into the township. Advises from Otararia at 9 a.m. yesterday stated that the river there was very high, but was receding. Western District Conditions. Our Riverton correspondent writes:—The unfavourable weather of late has retarded operations in gardens and farms, and a return to better conditions will be appreciated. The ground is sodden and water-logged, and those who planted early will be obliged to go over the same work again. The rive'r for some time now has been swollen and discoloured, stopping anglers and the deep sea fishermen. The Lopgwood Ranges and the Takitimos are carrying a heavy coating of snow, and should a nor’-wester set in a flood of unusual proportions may be expected. On Saturday afternoon ' a rumour gained currency that a heavy flood —equalling the one of 1913 —was coming down and farmers on the low-lying ground were advised to prepare for emergencies. The rivers have risen, and in places were over the RivertonGummies Bush road, but yesterday morning the waiter receded, and travellers and suppliers to the dairy factory were able to get through. The weather, though still unsettled, shows a slight improvement and all are in hopes that a big flood will be averted. The Waiau. The Waiau River is still in flood, though it is lower now than for three days, reports our Tuatapere correspondent. An attempt was made on Saturday to reach the sheep which were marooned in the ring at the sports ground, but a horse could not be persuaded to cross the water at the entrance. The owner made his way into the domain through the bush near the Alton creek and put the sheep out of the ring on to the higher ground at the upper end of the domain. Unless.the river rises further the animals should be quite safe. House Vacated. On the east side of the Mataura river near Jacobstown, one family residing in a low-lying area, had to vacate their house owing to the rising flood waters. A report from Gore late last night stated that the river was still rising.