FIRST TRAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 145, 21 June 1934, Page 9

FIRST TRAIN.

RAIL SERVICES.

CONDITION OF LINE.

ORDINARY SCHEDULES AGAIN The first train in 48 hours to come through from the north was that which left Maungaturoto at 7.30 a.m. to-day and arrived at Auckland at 1.30 p.m., "taking li hours longer than scheduled. Since the same train arrived at Auckland on Tuesday, the northern route has been blocked, and yesterday's train did not come through. When the train left Maungaturoto this morning, rain was falling heavily there, and it was feared that the line would bo impassable. According to schedule, the train should have reached Auckland at noon, but was delayed an hour at Wayby, while the Hotco scction, which was flooded, could bo inspected, and was held up again near Kanohi, until the safety of the line was assured.

The rainfall reported at Maungaturoto was expected to cause further floods, which would have resulted in a hold-up of rail traffic, but advice received by the train-running department of the Railways at Auckland this afternoon indicated that the line was again passable, and trains are expccted to resume their ordinary schedules.

Exactly what service is possible north of Whangarei is not known, but it is feared that the line is impassable.

South of Auckland, between Mangati and Tiroliia, on the Te Aroha line, both the railroad and the highway are under water, awing to the Hooding of the Waihou River, and are impassable, so that the section between Paeroa and To Aroha is isolated, though trains are running on either side of those stations. As the road is also flooded, neither passengers nor freight can be transferred over the intervening section. According to the latest advice, however, it was expected that the water will go down with the ebb tide this afternoon.

Through rail traffic to Thames was suspended to-day owing to floods in the Waitoki River between Paeroa and Te Aroha, no train arriving from Frankton with the southern mails and passengers. Road traffic is also stopped. Train* between Thames and Paeroa are not affected. Fish consignments in the meantime are being dispatched, by the railway officials to Pokeno by motor to connect with southern trains.

IMPROVEMENT LIKELY. WEATHER STILE DULL. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. A cyclonic depression remains centred near Cape Maria Vail Dicrnen, but is now beginning to lose energy. An anti-cyclone covers the western Tasman Sea, but at Chatham Islands pressure is falling rapidly. The forecast is for light to fresh northerly winds, backing later to southerlies, and increasing; weather still dull, with intermittent rain, but gradually improving; temperatures becoming colder, and seas rough, but improving later on the east coast. WEATHER IK HAURAKI GULF.

The following report of weather conditions in tlie Hauraki Gulf was received from Tiritiri Island at noon to-day: Wind, north-cast, moderate to fresh; sea, moderate; weather fine, blue sky and detached clouds; unsettled to south-east; visibility good; barometer ffteadgj, .