SHEFFIELD.

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

SHEFFIELD.

Since Sunday (August 5) we have been favoured with a very fair share of rain, though not enough until the last two days to put a stop to outside work. On Friday morning a heavy fall took place, and a good deal of water was lying about. The sun coming out about noon led to the hope that the weather would take up, ahd so it seemed during the afternoon. During the night, however, the rain again set in from the South-west, and with renewedenergy, and the paddocks are now gonerally under water. The water has beeu turned off from the water-race, and the various places where the storm-water got into the race last year have been attended to ; but at present (Saturday evening) the enormous quantity of water coming down is fast finding its way into the race. Storm water is carried across the water-race by large flumes, but these are overflowing at agreat rate. The roads are turned into river-beds, and in a number of cases, the crown of the road being under water, indicates from one to three feet rushing down on either Bide. A great deal of water is collected at the Annat Station, and persons arriving by train find about three inches on the crown of the road. The Road Board formed a storm-water channel from the railway line to the Hawkinß, to relieve the locality, bufc the channel is not capable of carrying in heavy flood mnch more than half the water thrown into it; and one unfortunate Bettler at the Annat village settlement was entirely swamped out at a very early hour on Saturday. Generally, there is a difficulty in inhabitants getting in and out of their residences. The Hawkins river is running in heavy flood. I understand that the North approach to the Waimakariri Gorge Bridge is scoured ont considerably, bnt as there is but little use for the Oxford line of railway, no doubt the authorities will have it ready for traffic again very soon. A good deal of water is still rushing down through Sheffield and Waddington. The wind has shifted round to the East.