THE WANGANUI RISES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18678, 7 April 1924, Page 10

THE WANGANUI RISES.

SLIPS OCCUR *IK SOUTH. ONE TRAIN HEMMED IN. passengers EXTRICATED. * ... ... MOTOR-CARS BRIDGE GAP. S ' >•- ; [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WANGANUI. Saturday. * "What appeared to be a cloudburst descended oil the town and district at midnight last night. It had rained yesterday, but, cleared off in the evening. About midnight, however, a very vivid flash of lightning, followed quickly by a particularly heavy clap of thunder, roused the people. Then the rain came down in sheets, and probably the heaviest fall of rain for many years in so short a time occurred. All the low-lying country was speedily inundated. At 1.40 o'clock this afternoon advice was received from the postmaster at Pipiriki that the Wanganui River had risen five feet higher than the level reached during the ' last ... flood (38 feet), and a tremendous volume of water was passing the township. > Large quantities of driftwood were being carried down the river by the storm waters from the direction of Taumarunui, the postmaster stating that he had seen nothing like it before. Vary little damage has so far been reported, except on the railway line between Mokoia and Manutahi. About five slips came down, and caused considerable damage to the track, a portion of the foundations being carried away. Passengers who left Wanganui by the New Plymouth mail train yesterday afternoon had unenviable experiences. About 84 passengers, including women and children. have been hemmed in by landslides. One slip came down in _ front of the train. Then another slip came'down behind the train, thus shutting it in. Arrangements were made by the department to convey the passengers ' to iMokoia by motor-cars, but while the work of transportation was in progress slips came down on the road, and the men had to be taken off the work on the railway line to clear the slips on the road. The , relief train reached Hawera in the early hours of the morning, and proceeded on to New Plymouth, which was reached about six o'clock this morning. The passengers had to make their own motor-car arrangements for bridging the gap over the slips. The department is maintaining the train services at usual time-tables north and south of the slip. So far as. can be ascertained here, the main damage to the line is a washout 50 feet in length , and 25 feet deep. It will be necessary to bridge this gap in order to restore communication, ana work-trains carrying the necessary materials left Wanganui for this purpose this afternoon. The work will be carried on 1 all day on Sunday, and it- is hoped by the local traffic office that the line will be cleax on Monday. The district .engineer went out to the scene this morning to direct operations. The mail train left New' Plymouth, this morning on time, and its passengers were transferred at the slip. The train on the south side _was about half an ; hour late in leaving Manutahi, and arrived at Aramoho . about a-quarter ,of an hour behind time-table., f .

RUNNING BAM' HIGH.

OVERFLOW AT MERCER. FURTHER RISE EXPECTED. ; f / *"- " TIMBER THREATENED. [BY TELKGBAPH. —OWJT COUKBSrOKBSHT.] HAMILTON, Sunday. , The hieavy rain which has fallen during the last few days has greatly swollen the Waikato and Waipa Rivers. The Waikato is backing up the smaller river ; for a considerable. distance, • and ' raising its level at the junction at Ngaruawahia bank high. v At Mercer the Waikato is 4ft. above its normal level. The flood waters have •overflown the banks of ' the river half a: mile below the Mercer wharf,''and have inundated the Mercer Domain and the low-lying lands on both, sidec of tie Mercer station. So far the setters have not been greatly inconvenienced, and the cattle have been removed to the high levels, It is expected, however, that when the surplus water in the upper portions of the Waikato reaches Mercer, the level of the river will be much higher, and the j area of inundated land will (be considerably extended. It is considered that if the rain ceases immediately the full effect of the flood waters will not be felt for at l«!>st two days. Local .residents forecast that the Boose Shipping Company's timber mill . will be flooded out, - and that, work will be Suspended. It is also considered that the railway line p.nd' the main road will be in danger of wash-outs and slips, and that 1 farmers may suffer from loss of stock and damage to pasture and crops. The northward bound Main Trunk : express was four hoars late in arriving at Frankton to-day. Slips were encountered at Ohakune. ' 7. . & At about noon to-day, a slip occurred in the Tuakau station yards, and a sheep truck overturned and fouled a loop'line, but the main lino was ' not affected. ' A large area on either side of the railway line near Tuakau was covered . with water,- but no appreciable damage has been done. " ' ~ ; , The Main Trunk express for Wellington was three-quarters of an' hour late on reaching Frankton this evening. The .delay was the result of several. enforced stops made near Pukekohe. Rain has" been falling throughout - the Waikato all day, and there is no prospect of cessation. ' ' ' ; ' " .