Author Topic: THE NORTH CANTERBURY FLOODS. July 1912.  (Read 4730 times)

Offline Mark

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THE NORTH CANTERBURY FLOODS. July 1912.
« on: June 13, 2014, 09:09:11 AM »
THE NORTH CANTERBURY FLOODS.

On Saturday and Sunday the floods dropped steadily in tho Kaiapoi, Rangiora, and Ashley districts, but on Sunday night a cold heavy rain set in again, so that yesterday morning it seemed certain that matters would be worse than before should the downpour continue. The water still lies so deeply about Flaxton, Southbrook, and Kaiapoi that no fair estimate of the damago can be arrived at. The land about Rangiora is well drained for the most part, but several small farmers about Loburn are said to have had their crops washed out of the ground. The footbridge on the main road across the Makerikeri—a flimsy affair—is broken clown The Grey and Karatu are in flood, but are passable by horses. Tho Okuku is also in heavy flood, and j«s tho bridge across it has been swept away, several homesteads are isolated. One of the features of the flood is that all the streams named have changed their courses, though still running in their usual beds. The Ashlev yesteiday seemed much lower than on Saturday. The unheeded warnings of the Commission, which included Messrs C. Napier Bell, J. Marshman, and J. Lowe, which, met and took evidence at Rangiora. in May, 1880, is perhaps accountable to a considerable amount of the flooding and delay which must inevitably take place beforo the inuudatibn is removed from the Flaxton district. Tho trend of the evidence given was to the effect that the main drain from which there has been so serious an in-rush of water, wa.s primarily intended only to draw off the surplus rainfall from the Rangiora swamp lands, and the Commission 3 advised that the main drain into whicli the cross drains flow should be carefully maintained in width and depth, and they surmised that the whole of the Cust drainage from 32,000 acres should bo provided for by an enlarged drain, or the Cust surplus diverted wholly, or in part, in*some other direction. Referring to the heavy discharge from the Eyre, which blocked to somo extent the discharge of the main drain, our correspondent points out that instead of removing the shingle accumulations from that river, tho effect oi raising the banks along it has increased the filling up of the river bed till in places it is level with the land outside the banks. In no sense could it be said that the outlet of both the main drain and Eyre into the north branch of the "Waimakariri is adequate with conditions that existed when the main drain was formed, about 1861-2, on the recommendation of Mr E. Dobson, the Provincial Engineer, whose object was to drain the swamp and make roads through it. The whole question rafsed by tho present flood is the necessity for an enquiry and report to assist the Eyre County and the Mandeville Drainage Board to cope with a subject that each year calls for a remedy again!?' so much serious loss to the farmers affected in respect .of their cropping prospects.

The residents of Eyreton wero somewhat surprised, during the recent flood to find that breaches had taken place in tho banks of the Eyre in such a manner that the flood waters came pouring down the road and across the country which had hitherto been considered immune from flooding. The fall in tho land did not permit of its staying lon*r enough to cause much damage, and the rapid drainage to a lower level, as well as the absorption into the soil, is only likoly to cause but a temporary inconvenience.

Traffic on tho Kaiapoi-Bennett's railway lino was resumed yesterday over the wash-out between Waverley and Wilson's siding. Dense fog enveloped the Malvern district on Friday night and Saturday morning, but "at about midday'•' on Saturday the atmosphere cleared, and a mild nor'west breeze set in, which lasted over Sunday. The brief spell of fino weather dried up the roads considerably, and enabled the flood waters to get away. The dry spell was unfortunately of short duration, another cold sou-wester setting in at 9 p.m. on Sunday. Rain set in during tho night and continued throughout Monday, ip to 4 p.m. ,60 inch of rain being registered at Darfield. Very little outside work has been possible for some time now. Ploughing and sowing operations are much behind, and a few »weeks' spell of.dry weather would be mucb7 appreciated. Althojugh the winter has been long and cold, there has been a remarkable absence of frost, no doubt partly due to the absence of snow on the ranges. Although there is ample time yet for rough weather, there are indications of an early spring. Buds are showing up prominently. ■on fruit trees and shrubs, and spring flowers are already in evidence in sheltered gardens. A light rain fell at Ashburton during Sunday night. The weather showed signs of clearing yesterday morning, but a heavy rain set in during the afternoon, and at a lato hour last evening there wore no signs of any abatement.

Though not flooded as North Canterbury was a few days ago, the Greenpark district had a heavy downfall of rain, but a few days of strong winds dried everything up splendidly, so that the roods were in capital trim, and tho farmers were rejoicing. Their hopes, however, are again cast down, for last Thursday and again last .Sunday it rained hard, so that lagoons and swampy ground and slush and heavy roads" again predominate everywhere. Some faniers have not begun this year's ploughing, and it is thought that the next harvest will be later tnan usual.
Papers Past - Press - 16 July 1912 - THE NORTH CANTERBURY FLOODS.



Offline Rwood

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Re: THE NORTH CANTERBURY FLOODS. July 1912.
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2014, 09:06:38 AM »
A miserable month for many, and the dullest ever in the older Wellington records.

Offline TonyC

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Re: THE NORTH CANTERBURY FLOODS. July 1912.
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2014, 10:41:14 AM »
The article proves the point that there is nothing new about nature which works in cycles. Climate is no exception. Some cycles may be short, some hundreds of years and some thousands. The shortest thing is people's memory.
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