Russell Only Main Road Blocked

Northern Advocate, 26 June 1946, Page 5

Russell Only Main Road Blocked

All Northland roads are open with the exception of those to Russell and between Kawakawa and Paihia.

The slip at Helena Bay is not yet cleared but it is expected to have the block removed by Friday. The Brynderwyn Pass is open for one-way traffic only today but the PWD expects the road to be completely clear by this evening. All bus services from the Far North got through this morning without any trouble.

After further rain last evening and a cloudy sky this morning. Northlanders watched the sun drive the gloom away during the morning and by midday in Whangarei, conditions were warm and sunny with a totally blue sky overhead. With the receding of flood waters on farmlands throughought Northland many paddocks are being left with a covering of thick yellow silt. Many hillsides are scarred as a result of this storm. Slips have occurred and a number of roads have suffered considerable damage to their surface. During the clearing of the slip on the Brynderwyn Pass yesterday Gordon Yeoward, the 19-year-old son of Constable Yeoward, of Maungaturoto, was injured in an accident and removed to the Te Kopuru Hospital. A bulldozer being unloaded from a truck, slipped on the greasy deck of the vehicle and fell sideways and crushed Mr Yeoward against the side of the cutting. The bulldozer was immediately pulled clear by a truck. The victim received body injuries, lacerations and abrasions. Mr Yeoward was employed by Mr T. H. C. Snelling, contractor, of Maungaturoto. IN MIDDLE NORTH It is expected that several slips on the State highway between Kawakawa and Paihia will keep this road closed for some days. Heavy traffic cannot yet reach the township of Whangaroa on account of a large fall of earth and rock on the road near Kaeo. The Paihia-Opua road will probably take a week to restore and the Bulls Road between the Black Bridge and Kerikeri will not be open for at least six weeks. The entire surface is gone off portions of this route leaving bare boulders beneath.

The Bay of Islands County Council has a big task in repairing side roads which constitute the bulk of traffic routes. Most of these roads were poorly surfaced before the rains came. The touring manager of the Automobile Association (Mr R. E. Champtaloup) said in Auckland yesterday that an official of the association who carried out an inspection of northern roads last week had severely criticised the obvious lack of maintenance. Potholes were to be seen nearly everywhere but on the Mangamuka State highway. A southern visitor who accompanied the officer on his tour had expressed amazement that main highways should be allowed to deteriorate in such a manner.