LONG DELAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23591, 27 February 1940, Page 9

LONG DELAYS

' MAIN TRUNK LINE SUP NOW CLEARED " 6000 PEOPLE AFFECTED TBIP TAKES 54 HOURS • ...... ' ' A total of nearly 6000 railway passengers, held up by slips on the Main Tniilk line between Taumarunui and ■ Knknhi was transported yesterday round the blocked area bv lorries, taxis and motor-cars. The majority reached their destinations in the afternoon, last night and at an early hour this morning. Although there were still many difficult sections ,on the line, railway officials in Auckland considered last night that expresses which left Wellington aiid Auckland yesterday would be ablo to proceed without transportation by road of passengers over tho ' slips. All available men were engaged throughout the week-end and again yesterday in helping to clear the main slip, about nine miles south of Taumarunui. The line was cleared late last night, and it was expected that trains vrould be able /to use it with extreme caution early this morning. Delays in schedules, however, were still anticipated. Seven Trains at KakaJil Seven exposes from Wellington, carrying about 2;?o0 passengers, were held up at Kakahi, those who were travelling on the trains which left Wellington on Saturday arriving in Auckland after 47 hours. Even longer was the journey from Auckland to Wellington, the 3 p.m. train on Saturday arriving at 9.5 p.m. yesterday, more than 54 hours after it had left Auckland. In order that travellers bound for the South Island should not be delayed a ' night in Wellington, the Lyttelton ferry remained in port after its normal lailing time of 7.45 p.m. Other trains from Auckland arrived long after their scheduled time. The express which left at 3.30 p.m. on Sat- • urday reached Wellington at 9.30 o'clock last night, tho Sunda3' 3.5 p.m. train at 11 pan., and passengers from the 7.15 and 7.35 expresses arrived at 12.30 this morning. , Caution Still Needed With larger numbers travelling on the north-bound- expresses, considerable organisation was required before the passengers could be transported over the slip at "Kakahi and entrain again at Taumarunui. Even then their difficulties were not over, for the trains had to move cautio'usly over the 22 miles between Taumarunui and Waimiha, delaying their arrival in Auckland still further. / After being held up for an hour at Ohakune. four hours at Raurimu, an hour and 30 minutes at Taumarunui, the relief express, which left Wellington at 6.10 p.m. on Sunday, arrived at 7.5"" p.m. yesterday, nearly 11 hours j after its scheduled time. The limited express remained at National Park for four hours, its passengers reaching 8 Auckland at 8:12 p.m. yesterday. Nearly 1000 passengers returning —from a Happiness Glub excursion to Wellington on Jtrains which left Wellington at 7.40 and 9.5 p.m. on Sunday were also transported over the blocked line. : The first train reached Auckland shortly after 11 o'clock last night, and the other, which was delayed by, the illness of a-- passenger at T-'.umarunui,' was expected to arrive at about two o'clock, this morning. Special trams were retained to take the excursionists to their homes. < Route to New Plymouth • Following tho Main Trunk line south to Marton, the New Plymouth express will leave Auckland at 7.50 o'clock tonight, and the train from New Plymouth is expected to arrive some time to-day. Owing to the direct rail connection with Taranaki having been broken by the week-end ~storm, Union Airways proposes to send one of its Lockheed machines from Auckland to New Plymouth and back this afternoon. The aeroplane is due at Mangere at three o'clock this afternoon from Wellington, and it is proposed that it should leave again at 3.15 for New Plymouth, - returning to Mangere again before dark.

52 HOURS EN ROUTE ' AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON MINISTER'S TRYING TRIP A journey of ,52 hours from Auckland to Wellington was completed last night by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, and Mrs. Jones. They left Auckland by the three o'clock train on Saturday, and did not reach Wellington until ft few minutes after seven I o'clock last night, the final stage of the journey being madeby motor-car. In a conversation with the Herald by telephone, last night, the Minister w 6aid that he and Mrs. Jones got as far as Te Kuiti on Saturday, and spent 22 hours there. The train continued to Taumarunui on Sunday night, and they Bpent the night in the township. Motor transport was 'arranged for passengers yesterday to by-pass a big slip nine, miles south of JDaumixrunui. One train had already left, a second ' was full, and as there was some . indecision concerning the time of departure of a third train, the Minister decided to continue by motor-car. flooding at opotiki CAR DRItEN INTO RIVER [bt telegraph —own correspondent] OPOTIKI, Monday As a result of heavy rain throughout Saturday, extensive flooding occurred yesterday throughout the Opotiki County. The raintall totalled 6.90 m. on the Opotiki flf\ts at. Waipeka for the 24 hours ended at nine o clock yesterday morning. In most cases farmers bad sufficient warning .and removed stock to safetv, but in other cases stock was caught in the rising waters and had to swirii to dry land. The Otara River overflowed the stopbank in several places and the two rivers junctiohed above the town. Portions of the outlying parts of the town were flooded. 1 The Opotiki-Whakatane highway was under water in several places and cream services to the Opotiki factory were held up fop some hours. Mr.. Rutledge. of Matawai, was proceeding along /Duke Street on Saturday flight, and, not being aware that the river had risen, drove over the Rtopbank at the eastern extension of the street and down a bank into flood water. The car- floated over the side of the road into deep water and the four occupants, were lucky to escape jnthout injury;' The car was pulled out by a lorn as it was going out of sight.