WESTERN HUTT ROAD BLOCKED AGAIN

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 8, 4 October 1941, Page 10

WESTERN HUTT ROAD BLOCKED AGAIN

Taita Gorge Open But Bumpy BIG SLIPS NEAR BELMONT AND SILVERSTREAM “I do not ever remember a period like this. It has been awful. All the main roads are open, but only just,” So “The Dominion” was informed by an official of the Public Works Department last night. He said that many men had been working arduously on the roads to cope with the situation, but parts of the countryside were still shifting and, even after the restoration of communications, it would be at least a month before the roads were properly cleared up. The Western. Hutt Road was reopened at 5 pm., and it was intended to close it again today, on account of numerous slips, but when a large slip came down a mile north of Belmont last night, the road was completely blocked once more. Just south of Silver-stream a fall of 7000 cubic yards has come down. Two steam shovels are working on it,, and, with activities continuing right through the weekend, it is estimated that it will take all next week to clear.

Milk traffic is getting through the Taita Gorge. Slips fell on the road both north and south of Stokes Valley, and it is reported that extreme care has to be exercised by motorists. Some trouble was caused last night by a very large slip which came down just before the turn to Stokes Valley, but the road was still negotiable, though the track at this point was very bumpy. A milk lorry which became stuck’ in mud had to be unloaded and pulled out by a bus in reverse gear. While this operation was proceeding a long line of cars orf each side of the slip was held up for some time. Through a slip which came down yesterday, the Moonshine Road was blocked between Upper Hutt and Judgford.

The Wainui-o-mata road, which was blocked at both ends, has been cleared at one end.

The Normandale road is open to traffic again, but the school bus yesterday had to be cancelled. Due to the washing-out of a bridge filling, the Haywards-Pahautanui road was blocked, but it was hoped to have a detour made last night. The Hutt River does not appear to have given much trouble. Last night it was still running four 'feet above normal. Till the river falls a survey cannot be made, but no serious erosion is expected. The Belmont protective work seems to have been effective-