THE BIG SLIP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1750, 15 May 1913, Page 5

THE BIG SLIP.

PROBABLY .40,000 TONS TO MOVE. The ivork of removing the big fall of. earth on the Hutt Road at Nga'hauranga has scarcely commenced yet. The Railway Department decided that the task was altogether too big for them to think of ■ removing the dirt by road haulage, and' they are laying a siding into tho heap. The loading of trucks will prob: ably be commenced t'o-'day. 'l'ho spoil is to be taken to town, and it will 1 be conveyed by way of another siding to tho railway reclamation, whore it will be turned to useful account. It is estimated that about 20,000 tons of clay and rock have already fallen, but it is thought 'that 20,000 tons' more will have to come down to make the bank safe.' Much of :it will fall as the other spoil is removed, but the rest will bo brought down by the use of explosives. The bank is in such an unsafe state now Chat it is impossible to explore it thoroughly enough to find out exactly what will fall. A safe track to carry all reasonable traffic will bo made over the cycle path at once, and so mado aa to protect the water-main below the surface. It will be some weeks before the ordinary roadway will be open for the passage of vehicles. The washouts on tho Ilutt line wero repaired yesterday, anil the ordinary running oil" the double line was resumed in the evening. The ordinary time-table will bo in force to-day, and trains will Tun on both lines. ' One effect of the bursting of the old main was to-cut off tho water supply from the city abattoirs. There was enough water in the' tanks to servo for most of tho day, and a temporary supply for washing-down tho floor was pumped up from >tTTe stream near-by. A constant supply, obtained by tapping the other main, will be available this morning.

The Labour party will do its utmost in the House of Commons lo extend the principle of the minimum wage, whether by trade boards or otherwise, 'because they believe that it'is the only way in which organised labour can secure a just wage, Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.P., announced at Bishop Auckland.