CLEARING UP THE WRECK IN THE NORTH]

Northern Advocate, 4 February 1936, Page 5

CLEARING UP THE WRECK IN THE NORTH]

FINE WEATHER AIDS REPAIR GANGS

Feverish Operations Everywhere To Clear Blocked Communications

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YESTERDAY THAT THE WEEKEND HAD BROUGHT A FLOOD OF DEVASTATING DIMENSIONS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE OF THE NORTH?

It was a typical Northern mid-sum-iner's day—a cloudless sky,' brilliant sunshine and not a breeze.

Last night clouds began to roll up from the east again, and there was a little rain during the night, but it was insufficient to aggravate any of the troubles which the flood left in its wake.

In fact, ever since the rain stopped ■on Sunday morning, everything has been in favour of the multitude of gangs who are doing emergency repair work.

So far as roads and railways are concerned, the primary objective is to restore communication as early as possible, and to leave the trimmings until later.

POSITION ON RAILWAYS. To-day the position of Northern rail services is much the same as yesterday, with the only normal connection maintained being that between Waiotira arid Whakapara. By to-morrow, however, it is hoped that the direct connection between Auckland and Whangarei will be restored, and that trains will be able to get as far north as Towai.

If this can be done, arrangemehts i,yill be made to have passengers for northern stations detrained at Towai and placed on service cars for Kawakawa, following the similar emergency service by which communication was maintained in 1934,

It is also hoped to run trains between Kawakawa and Otiria, and thence up the branch line to the Okaihau terminus.

Passengers for Dpua will also be taken part of the way from Kawakawa by train and then by car for the remainder of the distance, the change being made at Taumarere. Work Trains Only. The only traffic moving between Helensville and Waiotira to-day is work trains. The Kirikopuni branch line is not expected to be open for a week. With iron girders and sleepers, gaps which appear to the lay mind to be insurmountable are being quickly bridged in a method of military extemporisation. The filling with ballast will come later. The main trouble on the northern line lies between Opahi and Otiria, where long sections of the lines have been gouged out, and where the permanent way may not be restored for a week.

Two or three gangs are at work on the Helena Bay road, and men are also engaged further on between Whananaki North and Whananaki South. On all other affected routes strenuous efforts are being made to open the way to traffic as soon as possible, although in some sections like the Whangarei Heads and Helena Bay routes, it will be a while before the w;ay is clear. The A.A. Report. The A.A. advises that, at mid-day to-day, there was still 1 foot 9 inches of ;water across the road between Kawakawa and Moerewa. The route was not recommended, as cars which had got through had experienced considerable difficulty in doing so. At this point a high-wheeled private lorry was transporting private cars over the gap. By this evening cars might be able to make the crossing, provided radiators were covered and care exercised.

The Mangamuka link with Kaitaia is still blocked, but traffic is getting through via Kaeo and Mangonui. Traffic is able to negotiate the Mangakahia route, but here again travel is not advised, as there is indication that further slips may come flown. Here, as in the Houto, where communications has also been restored, the travelling surface is very slippery. The main road to Dargaville is out of the question, with huge slips in the treacherous Wheki Valley country, and high flooding still at Taylor’s Flat. Service cars are successfully negotiating the trip between Whangarei and Auckland, and are carrying a number of passengers. One Hundred and fifty men are working in the Dome Valley.

The department is sparing no effort to effect repairs as quickly as possible, and, to that end, has augmented its available material by obtaining the use of the light engine from the Moerewa Freezing Works. With this 30ton engine it is possible to ti’avel over lengths of line which will not carry the ordinary haulage, and it is hoped, with this, to reach the Kawiti ballast pit on the Okaihau line this afternoon, thus expediting the filling work. Right in Kawakawa itself one of the worst wash-outs has occurred, a culvert over which the line passes having been washed right away.

Thirty passengers who were marooned at Kawakawa on Saturday will be taken on a special train running to Otiria to-day, and will be met there by service cars from Ohaeawai.

When the service to Towai is resumed, Kawakawa will be made the junction in place of Otiria until all lines are open.

WORK ON THE ROADS. The work of clearing all blocked roads leading out of Whangarei was taken in hand promptly yesterday, and good progress was reported this morning. The majority of the main routes were open by this morning, large gangs working with all speed at every damaged sector. Seventy-five men were working on the big slip at Ruddell’s on the Mangakahia route, and cleared a path for vehicles by last evening. A large number of those engaged were volunteers, and a gang was sent down from Kaikohe.

Whangarei In The Grip Of The Flood