TRAINS DELAYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23413, 1 August 1939, Page 10

TRAINS DELAYED

THE MIDLAND LINE FROZEN SNOW ON RAILS GENERAL MANAGER'S VISIT HEAVY LOSSES OF STOCK [BY TELEGRAPH —rRERS association] CHHISTCHXJRCH, Monday A phenomenal snowfall, the worst sinco 1918, to-day seriously delayed all rail traffic on tho east coast section of tho Midland lino. From Darfield to Arthur's Pass the whole country is under snow, and from Cass to tho pass trains had to plough, making slow progress, through snow feet deep. Later in the afternoon, when the snow froze, railwayman at Arthur's Pass had an exceptionally arduous job defying tho tracks with hand shovels for trains to get through.

Both expresses were delayed for moro than an hour, and later in tho day, when a relief train containing tho general manager of railways, Mr. G. H. Mackley, and a party of officials tried to get'through, tho last 16 miles to tho pass took more than three hours. The last milo was tho worst. Even when tho snow was cleared from them the rails were slippery as glass, and in the end it took two electric engines from the pass and two steam engines to get tho small relief train over a small section. Flamethrowers were in continuous use to clear frozen points. Goods trains wero hours late. A rail-car took more than three hours on a small section near Arthur's Pass.

At the pass tho depth of snow was about four feet and in drifts whero a strong wind piled it it was many feet deep. At Halpin Creek, somo miles on tho Christchnrch side of tho pass, a relief train earlier in the day iuiled completely to push its way through the heavy snow and it had to be assisted by a goods train which came along later. Heavy snow is still falling to-night from Cass almost to the pass, although thero were lulls at the pass itself. Stock losses from Sheffield west aro thought "to bo extremely heavy, and many sheep can be seen from tho railway line huddled for protection from tho driving snow where thoy can find shelter. Lake Sarah, near Staircase Gully, where tho fall has been particularly heayy, is completely frozen over.

BULLDOZER CLEARS ROAD STEAMER SHELTERING .AIRMEN'S ANXIOUS NIGHT [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] BLENHEIM, Monday On Wangamoa Hill, midway between Blenheim and Nelson, main highway traffic was delayed for upward of an hour this morning while a Publio Works Department bulldozer cleared tho road of snow for about half a mile. Thero were also heavy falls on the Blenheim-West Coast road, but no serious interruptions occurred. Tho steamer Gabriella, bound from Newcastle to Wanganui, is sheltering in Queen Charlotte Sound on account of tho stormy conditions making Wanganui unworkable. Four Air Force bombers, en route from Palmerston North to Christchurch, remained here overnight as the result of snow at Wigram. The aeroplanes were picketed in the open and the crews had a rather' anxious night on account of a high -wind, which caused one to break partially adrift.

SHEEP UNATTENDED SOUTHLAND FLOCKS SERIOUS MORTALITY FEARED [by telegraph—press association] INVERCARGILL, Monday With between two and threo feet of snow still on the ground, and a heavy frost, runholders in the northern part of Southland are facing very heavy losses. One station owner said to-night that he would not be surprised if half of tho flocks are lost. # It will not bo possible for any accurate estimate to bo made until shopherds arc able to' go out to tho snowed-in flocks. Most station owners have been able to feed hoggets by hand, but the rest of tlio sheep have received no attention.

EAST COAST CONDITIONS

SHORTAGE OF STOCK FEED

[by telegraph—own correspondent] GISBORNE, Monday

A further fall_ of snow occurred in tho Wharorata hills yesterday and this morning, but in other parts of Gisborno district; although conditions wero exceptionally cold, little more than a sprinkling of snow was experienced. Stock throughout tho district has suffered considerably during tho past week or so. Feed now is very short and is likely to remain so for a few weeks yot. Several mobs of cattle are on their way through the Waioeka Gorge, heading north, and these are suffering froip tho shortago of feed, a number of dead beasts being seen along tho road. Cold weather, with snow in the hill country and a heavy fall of hail in Hastings, continues throughout Hawko's Bay. Feed for stock is presenting settlers with a difficulty, for excessively hard frosts and strong, cold winds, to say nothing of tho snowstorms that have raged over the district, have cut down feed and tho position is now acuto in many of tho exposed areas.