THE HAWKE’S BAY FLOODS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 353, 29 April 1897, Page 11

THE HAWKE’S BAY FLOODS.

The press of the colony has recorded full telegraphic reports of the terrible disaster which has befallen our neighbours in the Hawke’s Bay provincial district, but a personal inspection of the scene of the disaster has satisfied us that it is absolutely impossible to describe the appalling disaster which has befallen our unfortunate fellow colonists in the districts recently inundated outside Napier. We rejoice to know that a noble response has been made to the appeal for monetary and other aid to the suffer er er s in their dire distress, but it has struck us as being very remarkable that no teetotal or prohibition organisation has so far taken any practical steps to alleviate the great trouble, whilst on the other hand the Mayor of Napier, Mr Swan (who, by the bye, is a brewer), has been working night and day in order to obtain assistance for the poor sufferers, who cannot possibly assist themselves. The Government has also generously assisted, insomuch as Mr Swan has been authorised to “frank” telegrams to all parts of

New Zealand when soliciting aid, and he has also been permitted to cable free to the whole of the Australasian colonies for the same purpose. Perhaps there was no part of Hawke’s Bay which suffered to a greater extent than Olive, which is practically a suburb of Napier, and it is heartrending to contemplate that for many hours over three hundred men, women, and children had to leave their homes in Clive and take refuge on the bridge spanning the raging river which flows through that settlement, the terrible situation being all the time accentuated by the feeling that at any moment the structure might be swept away, whilst at each end of the bridge ten feet of flood water prevented the slightest possibility of escape. A few

chains from the bridge, however, the Farndon Hotel is situated, close to the railway station, and the large-hearted proprietor of the hostelry assisted to organise a boating , party, and in the course of a few hours the whole of the people were removed to the upstairs portion of the hotel, and the utmost effort was made to secure comfort for the sufferers. We shall more fully refer to this matter in our next issue; in the meantime we would say to Stout, Isitt, and Co., consider the action of this publican, and to each member of the company we would say “ Go thou and do likewise.”