Prompt to Meet Flood Emergency

Northland Age, Volume 5, Issue 20, 14 February 1936, Page 5

Prompt to Meet Flood Emergency

P. and T. Staffs Hop to It When

Crisis Arises

The staffs of two State-owned services, the Railways and the Post and Telegraphs, have had a good deal of extra work and worry thrown on them by the late floods. The washouts and slips on the railway lines were jobs of some size and the service simply had to be discontinued until repairs were effected—and some services are still not yet restored. The P. and T. Department, however, are in closer touch with the general public, and in an individual way that does not obtain with the railways. As soon as a telephone line is out of order, or long-distance calls and telegraphic service is interrupted, the postal officials hear about it, and often. During last week’s floods and cyclone telephone lines all over the North got out of service and the collapse of telegraph poles in places cut off communication with Auckland and the outside world. Fortunately, in most districts, the Postmasters were fully alive to the probable effects of the storm, and every possible precaution was taken by the P.M.’s at Kaikohe and Kaitaia to meet the emergency. The officers in charge of other offices in both districts had been warned on Saturday night to standby and keep their offices open continuously until the crisis had passed, and as early on Sunday morning as the flood waters would allow the line repair gangs were out making good the extensive damage done, again showing that the P. and T. Department officials of all grades are prompt to meet an emergency.