OTIRA LINE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18624, 24 February 1926, Page 8

OTIRA LINE.

SOPS AND WASHOUTS. SIXTY-FEET-WIDE GAP. (SPECIAL 10 "THE JSISS.") * GREYMOUTH. February 23. Heavy rain for the past twenty-four hours, whioli increased in volumd early this morning and continued incessantly until after middday, caused serious washouts on the Otira line between Rotomanu and Tqkinga, about 35 miles from Greymouth. The outward express from Greymouth, with over 140 passengers aboard, was runable to proceed past Moana and r&- j turned to Greymouth at 3.30 p.m.

Upon enquiry at the railway traffic office this evening, a "Press" representative was informed that the line is under water for about a mile and there is one washout, (50ft in length. The line was reported nil clear when the express loft Greymouth at 10.i>o this morning in a heavy downpour of rain, and no interruption in the service was anticipated. When it was found that the tram could not pass Moana, Mr A. E. Firman, stationmaster in charge at Greymouth, telephoned instructions to transfer passengers if possible to the Otira side of the washout, hut owing to ths large ivolume of water thia was impossible. Another Washout Threatened, It is reported that another washout is threatened near Aickens'. It will be impossible to ascertain the real extent of the damage to the line by ■washouts until the flood waters subside. Among the otltward passengers were a number from Greymouth . who had booked fcji* Melbourne by the first steamer, and two newly-wedded couples, Who were leaving on their honeymoon trip. _ - Beyond a feeling of keen disappointment at being unable to proceed on their journey, no , discomforts were experienced by the passengers, who were able to obtain refreshments at Moana, ' , Pasaongerß at Otoa. The express front Christchurch ran as far as Otira. Passengers who wished to remain at Otira, on the chance of getting through to the Coast, were advised that they could do so or return to CJhristchurch by train. Meantime all traffic is suspended, and there! is no possibility of trains getting through before to-morrow afternoon at the earliest.

A rake of trucks containing live stock for Addingtofl (chiefly sheep) is held up at Grey&oyth. The weather cleared this afternoon and the rain has ceased. The , flood waters between Rotomanu and Tekinga were reported to be subsiding rabidly at 5 p.m. Communication with the affected -area is very difficult. A workman's train was dispatched to tho scene of the damage at 4.40 p.m. LATER REfOBm rlvers subside. .

Lator reports state that the lino at Rotomanu is now deaf of Water. Seen this evening, Mr A. Firman, stationmaster at Greymouth, said that the wash-out damage is not by .any as serious as was at first supposed. Both express trains Will get throttgh to-, morrow. Tho mixed train leaving® Grey., mouth for Christchurch 7.40 a.ih., will leave as usual. It is- hoped to have tho line opened to all traffid tS'iiiorrow afternoon.

Reports from South Westlaflrl state that the fio,od this morning' damaged tho approaches -to the i Kakapotahl bridge, and some of the. piles of Stuart asid Chapman's bridge across the Waitaha river ,were also washed away. There was a heavy downpour of rain during the night at Hokitika, the fall to 9 a.m. to-day being' 5.01 inches for th 6, 24 hours. The rain, tfdntinued this morning steadily, though not so h«ftvify As a result of the downpour, the Soltitika river was in heavy flood this morning-, an unusually 'large quantity of driftwood coming doivn/\. The, rainfall at Greymouth. fojr the 24 iiours previous to & ■ a.m. to-dav Was 1.20 inches The Grey .riVer i# slightly swollen, butf was nearly back to ttoriaal to-night. ~

To-day a special passage* train will leave Christchurch >£of { Gieyjnoutk at 9.43 a.m., and a special passenger train will leave Greymouth fdi\ Chtigfcoharah at 20.35 a.m. Both trains will sun on the same and make the saute stops as the usual ChriGtehurcJi-~-Grey-: mouth mail trains. CONTINUOUS RAIN. - RIVERS SWOLLEN. TRAILS RUNNING % TO-DAY. Referring to the interruption on the Otira line, the District Traffic Manager, Christchurch, said that a big wa«}iout occurred at "Te Kinga, and at Rotomanu, and several minor slips' fit Jackson's and at Aiken's. The Otira river was reported yesterday afternoon to be in high flood, with heavy and continuous rain falling. The river was, still rising. It was impossible to 'get through with railway passengers east to west, or west to east. Passengers by the express from Chmtchurcii to Greymouth either stayed at Otira '6f i came back to Christchurch. The traiii arrived back in Christchurch afej 7.fi p.m. Similarly, passengers from the West Coast for Christchurch returned to Greymouth. Accommodation for ioffie of those on their way to the COast was found at Otira, but the majority returned. Altogether approximately 150 passengers took tickets for the Coast yesterday.' I Work Trains itito Out. Two work trains went out to the secr&o of the hold-up. The water was over the line in several places,,but the track itself was not materially ..damaged, ballast only being washed Sway. There was no traffic at all yesterday between Botomanu and Otira, and thero was ao chance of transhipment- The Otira river is a foot higher than it was when the last big flood occurred a few month*, ago.l It was * anticipated yesterday afternoon that a train would be got through at midday^. Back to Normal. It was reported by the Railway Traffic Office at 10 o'clock last night that the rain at Otira had stopped, and that the water was going down rapidly. It is proposed to run a goods train and a mixed train over the washout to-day before the Oreymouth express. After the express has gone through normal traffic will resume, Work trains will be at the scene continuously, and re» pairs will be in full swing until the line is back to its normal state. The usual timetable will be kept to-day, the