NORTH IS GETTING BACK TO NORMAL

Northern Advocate, 6 February 1936, Page 6

NORTH IS GETTING BACK TO NORMAL

rjpODAY, with an express running: through from Auckland —the first this week—and all main highways open for traffic, communication throughout Northland is returning to normal. Expresses to and from Auckland have as their Northern terminal Whakapara, and tomorrow the service will be extended to Towai, where cars from the North will connect. It is hoped to run a mixed goods train as far north as Maromaku today, to enable settlers, who have been stranded for six days, to obtain supplies and contact with the outside world. A goods train left Whangarei for Auckland at 10.30 this morning, and another left Helensville for Whangarei at 6 a.m. There are large accumulations of merchandise at both points—• more than three train loads at Helensville. The section of line between Motatau and Otiria is likely to remain blocked for a week or more, but it is expected that the Opua-Kawakawa link will be workable by this evening. The Roads. Taylor’s Flat, on the Whangarei-Dar-gaville main road, was clear of water by this afternoon, and the flood had also subsided between Moerewa and Kawakawa, restoring the last two main arteries to remain blocked. Or. G. Martin reported this morning that the Whananaki roads, both north and south, are open today, but that, extra care should be taken by travellers, especially in crossing the temporary bridges on the north side. By tonight, Cr. Martin hopes to be able to give some indication of when the Helena Bay-Russell route will be passable. A temporary bridge having beer, constructed at Squires’. Waikaraka, the Parua Bay Road to Whangarei Heads was reopened las: nignt. Official Report. The Northern Patrol of the A.A. report that cars are now able to get through from Kohukohu to Motukaraka, using extreme care, and so on to Broadwoocf which cannot be reached from the Mangamuka end. Mr Skow was through the Manga-' kahia this morning. Slips are still fairly bad, and he urges motorists to j reduce speed until slips are cleared I and watertables repaired. The Taheke Bridge is still standing, though it has a slight kink in it and motorists are advised to cross it at reduced speed.

Train Connections Partly Restored To-day

The road surface in the Waima section has,been damaged, but not nearly to the same extent as on the occasion of the previous flood and traffic can get through all right.

Most m>in roads are now open to traffic, though necessary precautions must be taken. *