NORTHERN FLOODS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22294, 21 June 1934, Page 6

NORTHERN FLOODS

THE RAILWAY INTERRUPTIONS TRAFFIC PARTLY RESTORED (Pi® United Press Association.) ■ AUCKLAND. June 20.* The railway route to North Auckland was still blocked by flood water in the Wayby-Hoteo area to-night, but th* clearing of the Waitakerc tunnel slip this afternoon permitted the full railway service between Auckland and Helc-oe-ville to be restored. It is hoped, that the full service to Whangarei and the far north will be restored some time tomorrow. , • Passengers who left Auckland foiT Whangarei by the express on Tuesday morning and were held up at Helensville will reach Whangarei to-morrow morning after n journey occupying nearly 50 hours. The normal time for the journey is hv* hours and a-half. They were taken by steamer from Helensville to Dargaville to-night. From Dargaville. they will be taken by,cars to Kirikopuni, where they will arrive this morning and will go-by train from Kirikopuni to Whangarei. The railway track in this section is clear. These passengers, who number about 50, were offered the choice by the railway officials of being transhipped by boat in this way or of returning to Auckland. The others, who elected to return, arrived back by train this afternoon after the Waitakere tunnel had been cleared. .For the convenience of travellers wishing to leave Auckland to-day for Whangarei a train was'despatched from Auckland in the afternoon for Helensville. Passengers on jthe train joined other* already in Helensville, and with, them continued the journey by boat and train. No attempt was made to get railway passengers through from Whangarei to Auckland tp-dsy. Intending passenger* were warned of the difficulties of transit and there were no bookings for place* south of Mauhgaturoto. The WhangareiAuckland express, therefore, did not travel beyond that point, and resolved itself more or less into a local train, handling the traffic between Maungaturoto and Whangarei. • So far as was known only slight damage had occurred to the line. It was considered that repairs could be effected in a few hours once the water had fallen below the level of the track, and a constant watch was being kept so that the work could be commenced at the earliest opportunity. Gangs of men ar* being kept at Way by all night, so a*, to be called out at a moment’s notice. DOWNPOUR IN HAWKE’S BAY RAPID RISE OF RIVERS. (Pi® United Press Association.) NAPIER, June. 20. Heavy rain throughout the district, today caused the rivers to rise and warning* are to be issued to move to safer localities stock in the flood-threatened areas., ' A sudden rise in the Ngaroro and Tutaektfri -Rivers took place about an hour after darkness this evening and precautions were taken by the; settlers in. th* low-lying areas near Napier and Hastings. In both rivers the rises amounted, to between six and eight feet and occurred within about two hours. ’ However, the danger point had not been, reached and later in the night the steady downpour which had ruled throughout the day had slackened off to occasional showers. Road communications between Napier and Wairoa, and Napier and Taupo are-not siv far affected.