LINE INUNDATED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21983, 14 December 1934, Page 14

LINE INUNDATED

EXCITING TRAIN JOURNEY

GANGERS WADE WAIST DEEP CONDITIONS AT DARGAVILLE [llY TELEGRAPH —OWN COItRESPOXDPVr] DARGAVILLE, Thursday One of the most exciting incidents during the floods took place on the Dargaville-Dpnnelly's Crossing railway late yesterday afternoon. On the journey down from Donnelly's Crossing terminus in the morning the train crew noticed that there had been something in the nature of a cloudburst in the upper reaches of the stream which runs alongside the line between Donnelly's Crossing and Whatoro, where, with another stream, it merges with the main stream. The stream was running bank high and sweeping everything before it. Reports were received at Dargaville that a heavy flood was coming down but the railway authorities decided to attempt the return journey. The train had not gone far when it encountered water on the line, and as a precaution, a ganger and some other members of the permanent way staff piloted the train along the flooded lihe. Tho men waded in water well over their waists for several miles until the train eventually reached the safety of the higher levels beyond Kailui. During its encounter with the flood the train took one hour and five minutes to travel two miles. Highest Flood lor 20 Years Old settlers st»ite that yesterday's flood was the highest seen in the Maro-piii-Mamaranui district since 1914. lho waters stretched from above Ahikiwi to Mam'aranui and to the foothills. The railway line and the road and bridges were well under water. The improved drainage scheme in the Kaihu Valley nssisted tho flood water to get away quickly and, although a good deal of surface water is laying about, both train and road services ran as usual to-day. A slip in tho Waipoua Forest was reported this morning but was cleared in time to allow the service car to pass through. The flood waters are dropping quickly in the Kirikopuni-Tangiteroria districts and by the end of the week conditions will bo back to normal. The chief losses in the districts have been stacked and newly-cut hay. Several dairy farmers had to swim their cows to the bails during the height of tho flood and take their cream to the factory on punts, canoes and rowboats. Hardship Among Maoris No heavy loss of stock is reported but pastures over a wide area aj-e covered to a great depth with silt. Strange as it may seem some smart showers are wanted to clean up the paddocks. Mr. L. W. Parore, who returned from the Far North to-day, states that extensive damage has been doiie to the Maori settlements. Practically tho whole of the potato, kumara, maize and other crops have been destroyed. Every settlement is a scene of groat destruction {ind there is a likelihood of much hardship among the Maori settlers.

SERVICES RESUME KAIKOHE REACHED IN A DAY PASSENGERS AND MAILS [BY TKI.KGKAI'H —ows correspondent] KAIKOHE. Thursday The passenger and mail services to the North are now running efficiently. To-night was the first occasion siuco Saturday that the mails and passeiigers which left Auckland in the morning arrived in the Far North the samo night. The service cars were able to get through the floods at Kawakawa this afternoon and picked up the passengers from the train at Towai. Until the trains are running to Otiria the service cars from the north are running to connect with the train at Towai, and the southern Hokianga service, which usually connects with the train at Kaikohe, is connecting with the northern service at Ohaeawai. Both service cars and the mail van have been using the KaSt Coast route, the only one open, but to-morrow the mail van and one service car will revert to the Mangamuka central route and will deviate through the Utakura Valley, where a temporary bridge has been erected to replace one which was washed out. The main route from Rangiahua to Okaihau is still impassable owing to the destruction of a bridge. There are small slips in the Mangainuka, but these will not block traffic, a large ono having been cleared. This morning passengers from the north wore taken bv waggon through the floods at Kawakawa and then by car to the train at Towai. All the mails from the Far North and the Hokianga district will from to-morrow be taken to the train at Towai.

Vorv little damage lias been reported in the Mangonui County, and the rivers have now fallen, although still running high. Owing to the floods, the Dargaville Shield cricket match between the Bay of Islands County and the Mangonui County, the holders, which was to have commenced at Kaitaia to-morrow, has been postponed until next week-end.