DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AND LOSS OF LIFE.

West Coast Times, Issue 971, 2 November 1868, Page 3 (Supplement)

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AND LOSS OF LIFE.

Since Hokitika Avas first inhabited by the white man, it has not been visited by so heavy a flood as. that Avhich occurred on the morning of the 9th ult. — a flood Avhich, although comparatively peaceful in its character, so far as the rising of the water Avas concerned, yet Avas, nevertheless, productive of niucli damage to propei ty, and avc regret to have to* refcord ia one instance, of the loss of a life.

During part of Thursday night, indeed until far into Friday morning, the rain deseeuded in torrents, changing every creelc into a miniature river, which flowed onwards to discharge its superabundant waters into the Hokitika River, but at that time i he outlet for the larger stream was comparatively small, and as the storm j water Avas poured into it the river ! rose higher and higher, until at length it OA r crflowed Us . .kinks, and inundated a portion of the Town. At length,- however, the pent-up stream assisted by cuttings made in the sand by a number" of volunteers and men engaged by the Channel Committee, burst its bounds and flowed southwards in a broad, deep and rapid current into the ocean. Then the tide having subsided the Avaters gradually decreased, until at. two o'clock, in the afternoon the Avhole of the streets Avere oiice more passable. The river, the only escape for Avhich had been through the semi-blockaded South channel, had during the night, made sad havoc Avith the sand bank at the rear of the buildings in Revell-street south of Moffat's right-of-Avay, but Avhen the new channel Avas formed, the flow -through the north outlet so far subsided at 4 p.m., as to allow the Channel Committee to sink the skeleton frame loaded Avith sand bags (which had been prepared for some time preA'iously), and thus by blocking up the North channel, increase this flow into the South. It Avas about four o'clock on Friday morning it became evident that the storm Avater avohUl not be carried off by the river, it was then high tide, every creek Avas filieJ to overfloAving and the rain Avas descending in a pelting pour. Every minute the Avaters rose higher and higher, until at length they ran over the Avharf, overflowed the creeks, and washing over the footpaths and roads, began to lap the doors of the dwellings. Higher and higher rose the flood, until tlie Avater Avas deep in the streets, and Avas en-tei-'ng into" the houses. Then the sleepers arose from their beds, and, in many cases, Avild cries of help came from (he affrighted women and children, and truly at fiA r e o'clock the scene was of a character calculated to terrify even stouter hearts than theirs. Suppose a poralklogram, one skie beinjc Gibson's Quay from Wharf street to the Islay Hotel, a distance, of about a mile, the oth'-r extending from near Hampden street to Wharf street at its angle Avith ReA'ell street, thp sides being drawn. from the other sides' Aye have i:amed; uppose this space to be filled Avith Avater, varying from a few inches to some feet in depth, and then some idea will be formed of the scene AvhichaAvai ted those avlio, awakened by the cold Avaters, rose in the grey dawn, and Atildly shrieked for help, Higher and higher rose the waters,-., and those who could do so were glad, half clad, to leave their dwellings and to seek shelter in places not likely to be invaded by the rising flood. In one or two instances men, accompanied by their Avives, ascended to the roof-tops, and many Avere the looks anxiously directed acttiss the Avateiy Avaste for help. Nor Avas the help so'looked for — so longed for at a time Avhen-eA r ery minute seemed an hour — long denied. Soon numerous boats Avere to be seen plying in the streets, going from house to house, and rescuing the inhabitants ; and conspicuous amongst *these was a boat propelled by a stalwart crew, in the stern of 'which Avas to be seen the burly form of the har-bor-master, Captain Turnbuil, Avhose A'oice sounded like a trn mpet amidst the surrounding din. Yet this man, rough in exterior as he appeared, has evidently a heart brimful of human kindness ; from house to house he urged on his crew taking off the frightened Avonicn and children ; and in one case, Avhere a 'mother Avith her babe only a Avcek old Ava-; lying in imminent danger, the rough old salt behaved Avith such gentle tenderness a3 stamped him at once as one of nature's gentlemen. MeanAvhilc the Avaters kept on increasing ; no attempts Avere made to save property, the inhabitants of the localities Avhdre the flood prevailed being content to escape Avith their lives, and leave their property to its fate. At seven o'clock the flood Avas at its highest, and from that hour the Avaters began rapidly to decrease — that . decrease being mainly owing to the assistance Avhich numbers of volunteers as well hs hired labourers afforded the Channel Committee in cutting through the South Spit— until at about two o'clock in the afternoon the streets were once more passable CA'en for pedestrians. We now proceed to give in detail the results of this flood, which a-ose not from any rise in the rivers — for neither the Hokitika beyond a certain point, nor tlie Arab. ura, bad any remarkable fresh — but simply from the storm Avnter Avhich fell in the metropolis of We tland and its vicinity not having sufficient outlet.