TRAM SERVICES SUFFER

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 7, 3 October 1941, Page 8

TRAM SERVICES SUFFER

Slips At Many Points MAIN ROADS ALSO BLOCKED

Temporary dislocation of tramway services at several points in the city was caused by slips described as the worst for a long time- The Brooklyn, Wadestown and Karori routes were temporarily blocked. Some hours elapsed before the Brooklyn line was cleared. It is hoped to clear the Wadestown slip, which completely blocked the road, this morning. , / The Seatoun traffic tunnel ’ was blocked to tram and car traffic on the \ city side, but pedestrians were able to negotiate the left side. All told, the tramways department had a very worrying time when toward noon the heavy and continuous downfall began to have its effect on the already waterlogged ground on roads with cuttings on one or both sides. “Wadestown is in a shocking state, said the traffic manager (Mr. Dowding) “water is rushing everywhere, and a big fall of earth came down in the deep cutting. Fortunately we had a car on the top side of the cutting, so that we have been able to maintain a service up to the slip from Park Street, and then transfer the passengers to the car on the other side. To get the spoil away we have had to get trucks up to the slip, and arrange for a suitable tip somewhere in the neighbourhood., I have never seen this line in such a state.” Electric Line Short-Circuited. On the Brooklyn line about halfway between a point opposite the Nairn Street Reserve and the top of the hill, several pine trees and a big bluegum fell from a 60ft. bank across the tram line. That short-circuited the electric power, and for a time rendered the line unusable. Gangs of men rushed to the spot, 'and in distinctly unpleasant conditions put in good work in clearing the line of the fallen trees before 5 o’clock last evening. Another earthfall took place on the ! eastern side of the Karori traffic tunnel. A’ mass of earth and trees fell from above the tunnel just to one side of the portal, but not sufficient to block up the entrance. A bulldozer was commandeered to remove the spoil and good work was done up till nightfall. Responsible officers, however, do not like the look of the ground which forms Raroa Road, immediately over the top of the tunnel, and fear that with, further rain more ground might give way. <. Two fairly large slips came down on Chaytor Street, between the rubbish tip and the cemetery, yesterday afternoon. The spoil sagged down and spread three-quarters of the way acrosr the road, completely covering the tramways tracks for the time" being, and throwing the service out of gear. Dozens of minor slips occurred on roadsides and properties in Karori, Kelburn, Northlaud, . Brooklyn and other suburbs. CONDITION OF ROADS Hutt Valley Blockages Slips have come down on practically all roads in the Wellington area as far north as Paekakariki, and there has been a good deal of surface flooding in the Taws Flat and Porirua districts; also along the coastal route from Pukerua Bay to Paekakariki. Though the Western Hutt Road remained open for a period yesterday, slips and other troubles subsequently developed to such extent that it was closed, and it was reported that it would remain so for several days. The Taita Gorge Road was closed from 3 p.m., but it was expected to have a track cleared for traffic early this morning. Late last , night the northern ami southern approaches to Stokes Valley were completely blocked by slips. Between Haywards and the concrete traffic bridge, on the Western Hutt Road, two slips had come down, and another just beyond Belmont had blocked the culvert with a slide of rotten rock down a gully. There is reported to have been more rain in Paraparaumu than for some ’ years, but the heaviest falls have been 1 south of Paekakariki and in the western areas extending across to the ’ coast. The Pahautanui district has ‘ had mor ethan its share and there, is surface water lying everywhere. The ’ stream from the Moonshine Valley is reported to be in full flood. Two of the four traffic lines on the Hutt Road were blocked by a slip of considerable dimensions which came down threequarters of a mile north of the Ngahauranga Gorge. This threw out of action for a brief period the 11,000-volt Khandallah-Hutt transmission line, but the trouble was soon remedied. In Petone, flood water from the s Koro Koro stream poured through t Ridler’s Crescent on to the Hutt Road, - the gardens and backyards of many , houses being inundated. The factory of t William Cook and Sons, Ltd., coopers s and boxmakers, was flooded. t Water to a depth of several inches lay e in Bouverie, Udie, Cuba, Richmond, r Regent and Ava streets. 3 The flooding was reported to be fair- - ly widespread in Lower Hutt, where t blocked sumps caused the water to bank up in a number of streets. Slips occurred on the Wainu'i and Normant die roads but traffic was able to get through. i Though a large slip on the Paekakariki Hill road had just been cleared, another six came down in sufficient 1 extent to block the road for two days. - Large boulders rolled down on to sec- - tions of the coast road, where there > were numerous small slips, but it was open to one-way traffic. At one point i a rocky ledge burst and sprayed out ’ yards of stone and rubble. ’ 3000-Yard Slip. The Pukerua Bay beach road was reported to be blocked by a slip of some 3000 yards below which water i and sludge have spread out to a depth of between 12 and IS inches. Beach residences at Pukerua Bay were rei ported to be isolated to vehicular traffic. The Wairere Road at Belmont was blocked by slips. Record at Makara. Makara has experienced a record flood, according to the oldest residents. ■ The stream rapidly rose 12 feet, swept 1 away fencing, and the Ant areas were s inundated, water entering houses and leaving deposits of silt on the floor. : Mr. T. Hawkins and his family vacated i their residence. The Johnsonville- ' Makara road and the Makara-Welling-ton road being closed, settlers considered that they were likely to be deprived ! of road access for several days, and were at a loss as to how they were going to get their cream out. Numbers of settlers had- to go out and rescue the school children, who were in danger of being marooned on their way home. About 14 had to be carried over slips. They had been in mud up to the waist, and arrived home very sorry-looking . and bedraggled. The stream showed ■ signs of subsiding at 4 p.m., but was rising again la?t night.