ON THE WELLINGTON-NEW PLYMOUTH LINE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 100, 24 October 1913, Page 8

ON THE WELLINGTON-NEW PLYMOUTH LINE

TRAINS RUNNING AS USUAL. FERRY PUNT SWEPT OUT TO SEA. (by telegraph— press association.) WANGANUI, This Day. The weather is now fine. , The wash-out at Okoia has been re- 1 paired, and the trains are running again as usual. A ferry punt at Ahuahu, valued at £200, was swept down the river a distance of 35 miles, and carried oufc to fcea. DISTRICT OFFICE REPORT The Railway District Office in Wellington reports that there are six big slips and a washout between Marton and Ohakune, a distance of 86 miles. Every effort is being made to clear the line, but through communication is not likely to be restored before to-morrow at the earliest. Until tho line ib reported clear, there will be no booking on the Main Trunk line beyond Marton. The express which left Wellington at 11.50 a.m. yesterday reached Marfcon at 4.45 p.m., and is still there, along with the second express, which cleared Thorndon at 9.10 last night. Some of the Auckland-bound passengers went on this morning to New Plymouth, to connect there with the Rarawa, while others returned to Wellington by the down Auckland express at 6.50 a.m. The passengers who left Wellington in the sleeping cars on yestorday's express comprised : 11.50 a.m. — Miss Clark, Mesdames H. Blundell and Clark, Captain Hammond, Rev. J. Dawson, Messrs Cyril Blundell, Clark, M'Guer, and Ackland. 9.10 n.m. — Mrs. Daniel, Messrs. Cousins, Walker, Parks, J. H. Upton, Carlisle, and Daniel. Tho first express left Wellington as usual at 11.50 this morning, taking with it a large Vancouver mail. If it cannot get through on arrival at Marton, a special train will leave with the mail matter, and any passengers wishing to make the trip, lor New Plymouth. The Rarawa will be delayed until the arrival of the special. At 8.20 this morning the Railway Manager at Ohakune reported that the down trains from Auckland would probably get through. The line to Taihapo was blocked at several places between Ufciku and Marton. There was little hope of transferring passengers or getting through to Marton to-day. ' The authorities in Wellington are also informed that there was a „ wash-out between Okoia and Eastown, on the Wanganui line, but the obstruction was cleared by 9 o'clock this morning. There is also a slip in ' the Manawatu Gorge, completely blocking the line, but it was hoped to clear the obstruction in time to enable both up and down expresses to get through about the usual time— 2 p.m. A mass of earth also fell on the Napier lino at Rakaiatai, near Makotuku, but was soon cleared away,.