SLIPS ON MAIN TRUNK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19027, 26 May 1925, Page 8

SLIPS ON MAIN TRUNK.

FURTHER OBSTRUCTIONS NO TRAINS YESTERDAY. BLOCK NEAR TAUMARUNUI. TROUBLE FURTHER SOUTH. WATER DAMAGES BRIDGE. EARLY MORNING EXPRESS. Interruption of traffic on the Main Trunk line was caused yesterday by further slips which blocked tho line between Piriaka and Kakahi, just south of Taumarunui. This fresh trouble brought serious results, as neither the limited nor the ordinary express was able to leave Auckland last evening for Wellington. During the afternoon it was hoped that the work of clearing tho obstruction would be finished in time to allow a special train to leave Auckland for Wellington at about midnight. Finally, an express left Auckland at one o'clock this morning. This train should reach Taumarunui in time for breakfast, and it is hoped that the slips will bo cleared by that time, so that the need for the transference of passengers to another train is not anticipated. Train Well Patronised. The express left punctually on .the stroke of one o'clock, and rather more than three-quarters of the available accommodation was taken up. The train was longer by one sleeping car than the usual limited express. ' Most of the passengers who had booked sleeping berths took possession of them earlier in the evening, and so wore fairly comfortable during the long wait. Others made shift to sleep in their seats, while some whilert away the hours with novels and crossword puzzles. There was a good demand for the pillows offered for hire by the department, and many hard corners were made more endurable by their use.

Neither the limited nor tho ordinary express left' Wellington yesterday, but a train was to leave at 10.35 p.m. for Auckland. Breakfast has been arranged at Ohakunc for travellers by this train, It was expected last night that Auckland would be reached somewhere in the j vicinity of four o'clock this afternoon. Another train was to leave Taumarunui at about midnight. If it got away to time it is expected to reach ( Auckland at 6.30 o'clock this morning, the usual lime of arrival of tho ordinary express from Wellington. Si* sidence of Foundations. The Taumarunui correspondent of the Heiiald telegraphed last night as follows : —Tho railways are more seriously disorganised through slips and washouts on the local section than ever before in the recent history of the Main Trunk service. The line between Ongarue and Kakahi is the worst sector and the trains are running at about six miles an hour on tho worst portions. The main trouble has been experienced at Piriaka, near the hydro-electric works, where the foundation of tho line subsided and affected an area of about a chain wide. In the middle one could walk right under the line which was suspended in mid-air at this spot. A gang of men was employed in repairing the damage, but no train ran over the section from Friday morning until after midnight on Sunday. A Fortunate Discovery. A Press Association message also reports troublo further south of Taumarunui. When gangers were proceeding to work between Tokomaru and Shannon yesterday morning they observed that the line across a small bridgo at Kara Creek, two miles on the Palmerston North side of Shannon, was a little twisted. The express from Palmerstoy, North to Wellington was known to be then due. It was flagged and stopped just in time. By a fortunate circumstance the limited express from Auckland was late, otherwise it would have probably run on to the bridgo before the gangers went out. Proper examination of the foundations of the bridgo has not yet been possible owing to flood waters, which arc rapidly receding. It is believed that some of tho piles have sunk. All trains were held up on either side of tho bridge until 1 p.m. yesterday, when tho limited express for Wellington was got through by tho carriages being pushed over singly, passengers walking over the bridge, which was strengthened with sleepers sent from Palmerston North. The department hoped to have the. bridge further strengthened in time to let the train which left Wellington for Auckland last night pass over it without any delay. MAIN ROAD REOPENED. THE .ROUTE TO TARANAKI REPAIR GANGS FINISH TASK. The information bureau of tho Auckland Automobile Association reports that the repair gangs which have been working on the slips on the Awakino Valley Road, caused by last week's heavy rains, have cleared tho road and motor traffic may now proceed from To Kniti to New Plymouth. Tho Mokau ferry is being resumed. GISBORNE TO OPOTIKL SLIP BLOCKS THE ROAD. MOTORS RUNNING TO GAP. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COIUIESX'ONDENT. ] OPOTIKI. Monday. Very few signs of the floods can now be seen about Opotiki. All the floors of the shops in the town have been cleaned, and it is hard now to realise thai parts of the main thoroughfare wero from 2ft. to 4ft. under water. The road to Gisborno is blocked because o! a fair-sized slip, but service cars will run from Gisbotno and from Opotiki to iho gap, where passengers and luggage will be transferred. It is expected that by. Wednesday or Thursday repairs to tho road will be effected.