HEAVY FLOODS IN THE SOUTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6315, 13 August 1888, Page 3

HEAVY FLOODS IN THE SOUTH.

GREAT DAMAGE ANTICIPATED. DUNEDIN, August 11. The railway authorities have had an; anxious time of it during the past four, weeks in trying to keep up the traffic. The rain which fell in the interior- and melted . the anow has given fresh cauße for anxiety.---i Though drizzling rain fell all day, the '.North line, which has been most troublesome hitherto, caused little trouble, and • «ith the exception of the express. all trains', were up to time. Both the North and, ; Southsexpress were stuokup at the-Pareora , bridge, which appears to ,be iv an unsafe •-condition. The passengers were, however, exchanged,, and the Dunedin passengers- are. expeoted to arrive about eleven o'clock.^ Matters on the southern line-are bra serious condition. On the TaieriPlain the line iB in some places under water to a depth of 4ft, and great damage has been done to the embankments. An attemptiß being made to transfer the passengers who went South by the 4.20 train, and those coming North by tbe express, by means of coaches, from Mosgiel to Greytown. It has since been ascertained that there are sft of wateronthemain road near Greytown, so the coaches will most likely have to go back. The Taieri river haa overflowed ita bankß,

| and ib spreading over the plain, and is bound to cause considerable damage. The farmers were busy all last night and this morning removing stock to high ground. Advices from Otago Central, however, indicate that the worst is far from being over, as rain is still falling there, and the flood in the Taieri will probably be the worst experienced for over twenty years. The Hogburn and Kyeburn rivers are in high flood, and great damage has been done to mining claims and races. The coach to Naseby did not get through on Friday night, nor had the mails reached there to-day. If rain continues, as it threatens to do, in the Maniototo County, the Taieri Plain will be converted into a huge lake, and the loss will probably reach thousands of pounds. August 12. The weather cleared up for some hours last night, though raia commenced to fall again this morning, and continued with but little intermission till three o'clock, when it cleared up again. Advices to hand to-day indicate that the worst is over j for tho present. The Taieri river fell four inches at Outram last night, and though I it rose again this morning, this afternoon | it iB going down again, and has fallen fully four inches at Midcllemarch. The weather appears to have cleared up in the interior, aud at Nenthorn the sun is shining to-day. Tbe attempt made to transfer the passengers ofthe southern express for Dunedin and the 4.20 train from Dunedin, was not successful, and the coaches had to turn back. Nothing is known yet ac to the loss on the Taieri, nor as to the extent of damage to the railways. In town no damage has occurred.