The Mangatamoko Slip.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 3, 28 September 1907, Page 7

The Mangatamoko Slip.

■ : i. A.BAD MESS.,o ; (Tjioji oun own CoEiiEsroNDENi.) Masterton, September. 27. ; The operations for the removal oj the jiangatainoka slip, appear to dis'eiose a' vin'iiho railway maiiage'meut. - .The' fail ■of' earth'.was' between one or two o'clock on Thursday-morn-ing, Dominion Day. It might have boon cleared away during cho next oigbtecn hours nad the Department not understaffed "the job: "iesterday, by ovqning, there were only fourteen, hands employed. There -should have been fifty, but the' ■ authorities state that the necessary, labour ( was unprocurable.:; ' ,: -'"■'..' :• is admitted that the slip 'B possibly the ugliest that has appeared ,011 ,tl|e..,For.ty.i\lile Bush line, there in 'no'cti'scottnting'tlio fact'-that-:-the'Vtira-rolliiig public is oeing. unduly incon-vonienccdj.-.tlirougu the transhipping frvnvthe express trains, and through the 'Department making .no provision for transhipping .from ; oilier trains. A littlo .-forethought would hare easily; mado for the comfort and con.venien'ce: of'the'' passengers. 'Ycstorday and to-day tho mullock taken away by tho'locomotives did not 'avorngo;half..a/.yard an hpuri so it will <be* seen.''that - tho?lbcomptjycs had .plenty of ,timo .in order 1 to ■ tiriio-table ■ requirements,: ■. [. \ -', "[;-, -.;.

.'' : '■' With' :i 'a view'of a's.cerfciinin'g how .mattbrslreally! stood,'a DmtraiON re-, presci{tativb visited'' tfar;TSCimo -of to-;day. The slip"li'as taken .place about .half a mile south, of the Mangatainolia Railway Station at a sppt'iwliero there have .previously been ...smaller slips., and'"n'liich has been ■■fori.sojno tiiu'e uiider the close superVisioh'i of the/; authorities.; Tho ugli- , ness'.pf the'.pi-psqnt .fall is niOst apparent. Tho upper stratum of a portion of tho-bluff overlooking, the line ■and the MangatainoUa River •• lias .slipped from ii hard limestono papa i; for,mjitiar(i,;carryfiig an' avalancho of .undersofub, such 'as koromiko, tutu, 'Cabbage trees,' ferns, logs, and the ■gigantio'i stump of a splintered rata. This mass commenced tovslip from a 'bluff'a hundred foot high, and, sweepi lilt-all before it, landed on tlie lino, fi}lingsiv.he cutting and 7 baqking up a'gahTst.; il.lhe V; pipuntajh,; /leaving a ghastly 'background, grby alid 'greasy, high, ; iip; ; -above which appeared tc ..tptt'er/ .qii' the brink great pieces of 'limestone: "'•■• ■' ; ,; 'i'■ ; .'" •' '■' , '; : '■■'. ■'■■'■' 1 When your- representative, arrived at the slip, there were about,a dozen n?6n working* by ;'two.'?locomotives-to, .carry away the spoil. : ! Th'b* men-appeared to be tired, ,ahd ,ijj r turned., out ...afterwards that Vthey ;liait-.J'. b'pen Vwprlcing all night , through, ,'tjip. tempest,' ivhich at times r was;thp;r6ugliest;ovcr experienced in 'tlje"district. ■■AVdrkdiad been undertaken.'with .extreme, difficulty at great ..risk.tp.fjho. owing to the stones, •which kpjit rolling, down the, mounand 011(1.,man, .Charlie Gavin. frccdived, Injuries'," }?,n'icli .necessitated lljiis from .^be 1 job. The man in charge was Peter Kugener. He .had been on duty since Wednesday evening, and had had no" sleep' from : .that time. To-day was.his .third day 'and second; niglit'iwithoutvsleop:,:' - .'..;■', Thp .'whole .thing has been a bad niess, badly.imaiiagpdi; -Thorp appealed .':no' likoliliood '('this, afternoon ••that..,thoi,;lino,.would. .bo/plear till 1 almoot'noon -to-morroiv-, .-(,:?•'