FLOODS IN THE NORTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2055, 13 July 1893, Page 17

FLOODS IN THE NORTH.

New Plymouth, July 6. For the last two days a steady downpour of rain has caused the streams to rise. The contractor for the bridge across the Waitara had all his plant washed away. A slip on the railway line 300 yds distant from the station delayed the train an hour. Several other bridges were in danger, bnt stood the strain. Many horses, cattle, and sheep were drowned, having been washed down to the sea. The Waitara is in heavy flood. The flats are covered, while the roads throughout the district are in a fearful state. The floods are now subsiding, the weather having cleared. Masterton, July 6. All the rivers are in high flood and still risipg. The low-lying country is quite flooded, but no damage of a serious nature has been reported. Information has reached here of a heary slip, two chains in length, on the railway bet ween Mauriceville and Mangamahoe. A big filling up near Eketahuna is also reported to have collapsed, and the train is stuck bebween the two breaks. Paimerston North, July 6. * Considerable indignation is felt here at the Railway Commissioners only offering 6s 6d per day to men for a few days' casual work in clearing away slips on the Gorge line. The work is both dangerous and heavy, besides the weather being indescribable. About 50 hours' continuous raja has been experienced here, the rivers being in high flood and a considerable area of land being under water. Woodville, July 6. The passengers by the 5.10 train from Falmerston bo Danevirke had an unpleasant experience on the sth. When near Woodville, in the Manawatu Gorge, a large slip stopped the train. On trying to get back to Palmersbon ib was found that the reburn was blocked by anobher slip. The earbhfalls were of such magnitude that bhey could not be removed, and the- pusengers could not geb across, so bhey had bo spend a cold* web nighb without blankets or food. The train was happily in a perfectly safe position. July 7._ I A ballast train was at work all night repairi ing the northern line, but no information as to I when ib will reopen is to hand. The train stuck in the Gorge gob oub last nighb and came on bo Woodville. The passengers, who had bo remain on board all Tuesday night, give bhrilling accounbs of bheir experience. Immediabely after the train passed the second tunnel a huge fall of earth occurred. At the place where the train was finally stuck up earth and stones were falling all around, and the passengers were much alarmed bill the train put back to a safe position. Another half-inch of rain fell last night, and it is still raining ; bub the floods have gone down considerably. Although many men are available here, the Railway department had great difficulty inobtaining suflicienb men bo clear the Gorge line, owing bo their being required to find their own tools. . „ Wellington, July 6. A slip occurred near the summit on Rimutaka last night, and train communication between Wellington and Masterton has been interrupted in consequence. Slips have also taken place on the Napier line, near Woodville, and on the New Plymouth line, but these are not expected bo seriously inberfere with traffic. A coach was sent at daylight to take the passengers off the train, which was stuck up all night in the Manawatu Gorge. One of the slips in the gorge is aboub 1200 yards in extent. The Hutt river is very high, and parts of the surrounding country are flooded. July 7. The slips on the Rimutaka have been cleared away, and railway traffic has been resumed.