FLOOD IN THE GERALDINE DISTRICT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7201, 9 February 1892, Page 3

FLOOD IN THE GERALDINE DISTRICT.

j Accident to the GeraldineWoodbury Mail Coach. I [from oue own correspondent.] •' Since my last report on the weather the ■ Geraldine district has been visited with a ; most disastrous flood. During the nightof ; Saturday last the wind changed to the j southward, a heavy rain falling at the same J time, and continuing with unabated fury ; during Sunday. Towards night the wind j increased to a gale, and the rain poured in i torrents, lasting till dawn on Monday. i This caused the Waihi river to be in heavy flood. J Yesterday morning the mail coach of Messrs J. Mundell and Co. left Woodbury as usual for Geraldine. A heavy volume of water waa rushing down the Waihi riverbed at the time, and on the driver attempting to crosß the trap capsized. Fortunately for those in the vehicle, Mr E. Smith, also in Mr Mundell'a employ, was crossing the river at the time, and went to the assistance of the driver and his brother, who was in the coach returning to Geraldine. Through their combined efforts the mail and other things in the trap were secured, but the horse was drowned. The trap was badly damaged. , Many of the farmers will suffer severely through the storm, although many have their ingathering completed. There is, however, a large amount of the crop still in the shook, which was exposed to the severity of the storm. An estimate of the damage cannot, of course, at present be ascertained. The Orari river is bank to bank, and the Hae-hae-te-moana is in high flood. No damage iB reported here.