NO TRAINS NORTH OF KAIAPOI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18856, 8 May 1923, Page 7

NO TRAINS NORTH OF KAIAPOI.

RAIN EASING. (Pee United Pbess Association,) CHRISTCHURCH, May l._ No trains are running north of Kaia* poi. The trains are not iikely to get „ through to Arthur’s Pass before tho end of the week, but trains will be able to nm to and from Springfield. ■» The Southbridge line is also interrupted, and the south-west side of Rangiora. has suffered considerably, the water rushing down John street like a river. The houses will soon be surrounded, and in many cases it will be impossible to get in or out of them Fortunately the rain eased this afternoon, and the water began to subside, thus avert- ' big a great amount of damage. It is still raining throughout Canterbury tonight, but tho fall is light compared with tho previous 24 hours. ROADS IMPASSABLE. RAILWAY LINES COVERED. (Pee United Peess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 7. Two ears loaded with passengers and mail# loft for Kaikoura this morning, but they wore unable to get past the Ashley, which is in high flood and lias overflowed its banks. A big char.-a-banc which left for Culverden and Hanmer Springs this morning ha,d also to turn back. The cars arrived back in town about 11.30 a.m. The usual routa for itho cars to take is the Main North road, which does not,go through Rangiora. The Ashley crosses ihe road a little north of Waikufcu. The cars could not get past Waikuku, being stopped by o sheet of water which completely covered the road and paddocks. the cars then wont ■to Rangiora to try to get across the ferro concrete bridge over the Ashley there, but here a similar experience was met with, the bridge being unapproachable on account:of a huge sheet of water. There was, therefore, nothing else to do except return to Christchurch. Even if the cars had got past Ashley, there was no hope of them' reaching Kaikoura or Hammer Springs, as the • road north of Ashley is impassable in places. Tho Tourist Bureau reported that no cars' had. left Kaikoura for Christchurch this morning. Mr J. Robb, of Gust, who travelled by train to Christchurch this morning, informed a reporter that the flood waters were about 1 a foot above the railway line in places between Cust and Rangiora, “We ■ crawled along at a snail’s pace, and from Fernside to Rangiora a ganger ahd a platelayer in a ‘jigger’ proceeded in front of the. engine to make sure that the line was safe for tho train,’’ stated Mr Robb. ' At number of places the ballast was washed! away from under the rails. When tho train pulled into Rangiora Station the water was from IBin to 2ft deep—almost to the level of the platform. Between Rangiora and Flaxton the train had to stop several times owing to water which was rushing the line in a torrent in a number of places. ■ Tho Watmaknriri, being a. enow-fed river, was not particularly high. From Kaiapoi to Christchurch, added Mr Robb, the line was fairly clear. In the vicinity of Flaxton the flood was fairly extensive. The occupants * of a two-storeved house near the railway ’ line had to shift upstairs,, the water having flooded the lower rooms. At Cheviot 10.55 inches of , rain fell from Friday to 8 a.m. to-day. The rivers are in high flood, and the> roads impassable. A mart named Schultz, and his family, in the Bridge House at Waiau, had to bo a rescued. , ", FOUR DAYS’ RAIN. v SERIOUS POSITION IN ASHBURTON. he’ayy DAMAGE TO STACKED ‘ WHEAT. . , (Per United Pbess Association.) ASHBURTON, May 7. It has been raining almost without a break since Thursday night. Many footpaths are flooded, and taxis were busy conveying people to business. The conditions are very exceptional! for this dry district. Tho four days’ rainfall totalled of- which the last 24 hours gave 4.56 inches. , It is still gaining. Rakaia reports 4.80 inches in the last II hours; Methvcn, 6.50 inches in the last few days. Methven reports extensive damage to wheat stacked in paddocks. Owing to the tardy settlement of the wheat-selling scheme, the millers have been buying only from hand to mouth. Consequently the farmers, being unable to effect sales, stacked their wheat in sack’s in the paddocks, tinder covers which are adequate for ordinary rainfall, but quite inadeouate for this deluge. Tho losses will probably be serious. TELEGRAPH INTERRUPTIONS. WORK CONGESTED. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 7. For a period to-dav the South Island was cut off telegraphically from the North Island till 1 p.m. The only two messages which, came through were special service telegrams forwarded by radio from Karori (Wellington) to Awarua (Bluff), and. thence by ordinary telegraph to Christchurch. Later' in the day a circuit to Wellington was established' via Greymouth, and it has since been worked. The East Const route to the North Island is still blocked. It is expected that it will be 8 or 8 o’clock tomorrow morning before to-day’s accumulation of telegraph work is cleared off. •