HEAVY RAIN IN THE NORTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16888, 28 December 1916, Page 4

HEAVY RAIN IN THE NORTH

SLIPS ON MAIN TRUNK LINE.

TIME-TABLE TEMPORARILY DIS-

LOCATED.

(Peb United Peess Association.)

AUCKLAND, December 27. _ Slip 3 which occurred on the Main Trunk line on Tuesday afternoon and evening near .'loropito, six milts north of Ohokune, had the effect of delaying tho arrival at Auckland of the early morning Main Trunk expresses by about four hours and a-haif. The two slips which occurred were directly due to a thunderstorm accompanied by h.'avy rain, which swept over the Ohakune district on Tuesday afternoon about 3 o'clock. Tho first slip, which was a small one, camo down in a cutting near tho viaduct lloropito and Ohnkunc, and was cleared by 8 p.m. Shortly after-, wards,_ however, a much larger slip came down in the same spot. A largely increased gang was necessary to deal with the obstruction, which was attacked energetically, and by 2 a.m. to-day through communication had been restored. The Main Trunk expresses from Wellington to Auckland, duo to arrive here at 6.4-3 a.m. and 7.50 a.m. did not put in an appearance until a few f minutes before 11 a.m. The first express reached the slip about 10 p.m. and the second express followed about an hour later. When the obstruction was- removed the two expresses, carryin? 350 passengers, were formed into one train, and completed the journey in that way.