YESTERDAY'S FLOODS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1453, 12 October 1878, Page 3

YESTERDAY'S FLOODS.

As was fully anticipated by who know the country, the north-west wind which set in on Thursday afternoon has had the effect of melting large masses of snow on the hills, causing freshes in various rivers, and once more impeding railway communication north and south of Christchurch. It appears that it has also been raining very heavily in the back country during Thursday night and yesterday. THE WAIMAKAHIRI. This river was the first to rise, and on Thursday night the general manager at Christchurch received notice from the station master at Kaiapoi that there was likely to be another flood, as the water was then rising rapidly. The nows of the rising was confirmed later in the day, when the river had risen nearly to the level of the rails ; but not sufficiently high to stop the passenger traffic. The heavy goods train, however, was not allowed to pass over that portion of the linenorthof Chaney’s, so that the goods traffic is temporarily stopped. With caution and at a slow rate of speed all passenger trains traversed the damaged portion safely. At 4.30 p.m. intelligence was brought to Christchurch that the river was still rising rapidly in the hills, and it is anticipated that all traffic will bo stopped this morning. Since the change in the weather hopes are however entertained that the flood may decrease. To-day, should the traffic continue to be interrupted, arrangements will be made to carry on the communication unbroken by means of coach by road, if the trains cannot pass from Chaney’s to Kaiapoi. Nothing can be done towards repairing damage until the floods subside. The inspector of permanent way, however, has everything in readiness to commence reballasting the line where it has been washed away, as soon as the floods go down. It is confidently expected that when the contract is completed which Mr Wilson has in hand, the traffic will not be again stopped, unless the flood should be a very heavy one. It has however been so often said that something was to be done to put an end to these stoppages of communication, that people have become incredulous on the subject. Fortunately the works now in progress are not harmed by these repeated freshes, as all the bridge work is of heavily braced timber, such as is not likely to suffer for many years to come.

Our Kaiapoi correspondent sent the following early in the day:—The rirer was in flood again on Friday. The body of water in the south branch was not very great, biff as it has only to rise two feet to overflow the railway line, that was flooded. Steps were taken as soon as possible during the morning to make three culverts under the metals, and the water towards noon was falling fast. The trains were able to proceed. During the middle of the afternoon the river rose again, and the line was expected to bo stopped. All the officials were very active in making preparations. In consequence of the recurrence of these floods it is understood that in future telegraphic communications between the Bealey and the railway department will be established. During Friday it blew a violent gale from the N.W., accompanied at times with rain. In the ranges there was heavy rain all day. Later on our correspondent wrote : —At 2 p.m. a telegram was received from the Bealey station—“ Flood is now two feet higher than last one. Rivers arc rising fast. Raining in torrents.” The heaviest body of this water is expected to reach the part of the country over which it spreads during the night. The embankment on the east end of Charles street, Kaiapoi, is not likely to stand longer than this fresh, and further steps will have to be taken to make an embankment at a greater distance from the river. The river was rising fast when the last train from the North came in, and the rain falling in heavy showers. THE ItAKGITATA. The bridge over this river has again succumbed to the force of the waters, and again has through railway communication between Christchurch and Dunedin been stopped. A notice was yesterday posted at the former station that passengers could not book beyond North Rahgitata, This time, instead of its being the south side of the bridge which has suffered, it is the north, the span nearest the shore having become valueless for railway purposes. Seven of the supporting piles

have been carried away. At 9 o’clock yesterday morning, just after the despatch of the through express train, the general manager received a telegram containing information to this effect. This is particularly unfortunate, for, coupled with the fact that two spans on the other side have already gone—although it is true they have been temporarily repaired—it may be expected from this loss of support at both ends that should the river rise much higher the injury to the bridge will be very serious indeed. On receiving the telegram as stated, immediate arrangements were made for the trains north and south to approach each side of the river, so that the passengers might debark and change trains by walking across the bridge. In this way there would not be a very great [detention, though it was anticipated the express would be half an hour or so late before reaching Christchurch, and perhaps twice as much time—or more—on reaching Dunedin. The railway authorities do not disguise the fact that if the river rises much higher it is exceedingly probable the through traffic will for the present bo suspended altogether. The two spans on the south side of the river, which were damaged fourteen days ago, were said to be all right up to yesterday at 4 o’clock. Of course, all goods traffic is at a standstill beyond Rangitata, and must remain so until the injuries done to the bridge are made thoroughly good. The General Manager went south by (ho 11.50 train, to make the necessary arrangements for the resumption of through traffic with as little delay as possible. The Otago and Southland portions of the San Francisco mail were coming through yesterday. With some little delay the bags were transferred from the south to the north train. The express left Ashburton with the mail about 5 p.m., and arrived in Christchurch about half an hour behind the usual time, a special train being in readiness to take the northern portion of the mail to Lyttelton and ship it on board the Rotorua, which had been detained until the arrival of the train. THE EAKAIA. At three o’clock a telegram was received by the railway authorities in Christchurch that the Rakaia river was rising rapidly, and with every prospect of continuing to do so, as the rain was coming down among the hills in a perfect torrent, and pouring into the river almost like a deluge. Still up to that time no injury had been done to the bridge, or to the ballasting on the lino at either end. ASHBURTON. On Thursday night (writes our Ashburton correspondent) the appearance of the sky forboded more north-west wind, and the blackness over the ranges showed plainly that a plentiful rain was falling. Many prognostications were made as to the state of the rivers on the following day, but no one for a moment imagined that the water would find its way into the town of Ashburton. Such, however, proved to be the case, as on Friday morning the gully, which leaves the river about throe miles from the town, on the Alford road, and passes the railway line to the north of the station was found to bo full of water, and the volume was rapidly increasing. The stationmaster’s house was surrounded. The gully at this point has been filled up by the railway, so there was no outlet for the water till the Borough Council took the matter in hand, and cut a channel so as to allow the water to flow down the side of West street and then to the river. The Council also at once set about stopping the flow from the river into the gully, and for that purpose sent out a supply of sand bags and plenty of willing hands. The sand bags have stopped a portion of the water coming down, but the river is rising rapidly, and it is not yet known if these means will prove effective. The spot where the river has broken through is at the finger-post on the Alford Forest road, on the property of Mr Digby. The break is about four chains wide. It is said that since the flood of 18(38 no water of any consequence has been in this gully. It is through this gully the proposed water supply is to come. There being no other body on the spot to adopt means to prevent damage, the Borough Council took the matter up. At 2 p.m. the work done by the Council appeared to be successful, and the rush of water through the town was decreasing fast. THE OPAWA BIVEB. Yesterday afternoon the following message reached us from the Press agent at Timaru: “ The Opawa accommodation house in the Mackenzie country is likely to be washed away, owing to the heavy volume of water in the Opawa river.” THE TIMAEU DISTRICT. Floods and damage to property are again reported in all directions. The Opihi is higher than for years, and is flooding the country, washing away sheep and horses. It is reported that Macalister’s public-house, at Albury, is completely washed away by the Tengawai river. Serious fears are entertained of the result.