FLOODS RECEDING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 240, 24 July 1935, Page 3

FLOODS RECEDING

TRANSPORT DISORGANISED. NORTH AUCKLAND CONDITIONS (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, July 23. Flood waters, slips, and washouts have disorganised all road and rail traffic in North Auckland. Hooding at the Hoteo bridge at Wayby continued, but the water had dropped two feet six inches by 8 o’clock to-night, and several cars got through the flooded section. No vehicles attempted the crossing during the day, and newspapers, service car passengers, and general luggage were ferried across the flood in a dinghy during the morning and early afternoon. It is expected that the water will be sufficiently shallow for traffic to go through by noon to-morrow. Many motor cars and trucks which had been held up at the Hoteo bridge continued to Wkangarei to-day. by the .West Coast route, joining the main highway to the north at Wellsford. Repair gangs cleared away the Dome 1 Valley slip during the day, but another fairly serious slip occurred on the Valley road, about five miles from Warkworth, in the afternoon. About 8.30 to-night, the flood waters were receding at the Hoteo railway station, but there was still a depth of 3ft. Gin. in the goods shed. As a result of the floods, rail communication between Auckland and northern districts is still cut off. It is considered unlikely that the services will be restored to-morrow. Although' flood conditions still prevailed in the Warkworth and Wellsford districts to-day, many motor cars and trucks were able to reach AVliangarei by means of the all-metalled W est Coast route, through Woodcocks. WATER IN COAL MINE. EIGHTY MEN MADE IDLE. AUCKLAND, July 23. The Hikurangi Coal . Company’s Phoenix mine at Hikurangi, which is the chief mine operated by the company, has suffered considerably through the heavy rains of the last few days, and as a result about 80 men have been temporarily thrown out of employment. With heavy rain yesterday, it became apparent to the management that two pumps in operation would have to be removed to a higher position, as the water was lining rapidly. The manager (Mr H. Grady) and the engineering staff worked throughout last night, and by 5 o’clock tliis morning had recovered one pump. The other one could not be removed because of the rising water. The recovered pump was reinstalled late this afternoon in a new position, so as to hold the water until the weather clears. To what extent this can be done will depend upon the rainfall. When the water in the mine is reduced, the second pump will be recovered. Operations are being carried on to-night.

TRIAL DELAYOD. NO ROOM FOR ACCUSED ON STEAMER. AUCKLAND, July 23. Auckland is completely cut off from the north by flood waters which have iblocked both road and rail. One effect of the loss of communication was that a trial at the Supreme Court of two men accused of sheep-stealing could not proceed. Fourteen police witnesses and a detective who were coming by train to Auckland yesterday had to return to Whangarei, but the detective telegraphed to Wliangarei first and booked reservations on the steamer Claymore for Auckland. He and his witnesses got aboard, but the two accused men arrived on the wharf to find the ship full, and they were unable to get a passage, even though they offered to do stoking. To-day the accused were still in Whangarei, while the witnesses waited in Auckland. /