MAILS DELAYED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19918, 21 April 1939, Page 4

MAILS DELAYED

SLIPS IN WAIOEKA OVERNIGHT BLOCKAGE LOCALITY OF OPONAE Following 3G hours of heavy rain, cuttings in the Waioeka Valley began to show signs of slipping pesterday, and last night's north-bound mail truck from. Gisborne encountered trouble at Oponae, where a substantial slip blocked the maic highway.

The driver crossed the slip afoot and secured a lift to Opotiki, whence he procured an emergency truck to bring in the north-bound mails. These were to be sent on this morning to Taneatua.

The mails bound from Taneatua to Gisborne were delayed this m'crning as a result of the slip, and were not expected to reach the Gisborne Post Office until midday.

County officers in the Waikohu area were prepared for some minor damage, following the first heavy fall of rain after a long dry period, during which the -hillsides have cracked extensively. Superficial deterioration has occurred in many parts of the district, where the drying-out of the papa rubble has prepared the way for small slips. It is not expected that serious trouble will occur, however.

The heavy rainfall has been confined to the high country so. far, and no reports of slips or wash-outs have 4een received from any section of the coastal strio.

LIGHT RAIN ON FLATS TOWN WATER PROBLEM ONLY SLIGHT RELIEF The lowlands c.f the Gisborne district secured only the taif-end of the rain which swept other parts of the North Island, although some of the higher, country has been heavily deluged. The rain did not commence in Gisborne until early this morning, and the official station at the aerodrome reDorted that only .10in. of rain had fallen up to 9.30 a.m. The signal station gauge reported .llin. up to 9 a.m.

Out in the farming areas of the flats the rain was no heavier than in town, and at Te Karaka the reading at 9 a.m. was only .10in.

The borough water supply has n'ct benefited a great deal, although partial relief will be given. The borough engineer, Mr. E. R. Thomas, reportsthat, up to 7 a.m. the reading at the Waingake headworks gauge was only .17in. The rain came just in time, because the supply had dwindled so low that a very serious problem was being faced.

On the Coast the rainfall was only light, and not a great deal had fallen up to this morning.

MAIN HIGHWAY BLOCKED TARANAKI EXPERIENCES SLIPS FOLLOW DOWNPOUR (Per Press Association.) 'NEW PLYMOUTH, this day. The Stratford-Ohura main highway was blocked yesterday as a result of the phenomenally heavy \ fall of rain in the central and easterA districts of Taranaki ion Wednesday night and yesterday. Several slips occurred in the Tangara'kau Gorge. The Public Works Department expects to reopen the road within a short time. The road is also under water near To Wera.