NORTH ISLAND FLOODS

Southland Times, Issue 17482, 24 July 1915, Page 7

NORTH ISLAND FLOODS

ABNORMAL RAINFALL; SLIPS ON THE RAILWAY. (Per United Press Association.) TE KUITI, July 23. Heavy rain caused the Mangaokawa river to rise and flood the level portions of the town. The racecourse is several feet under water. The railway line between To Kuiti and Otorohanga is submerged, and traffic is held up. A land slip on the line at the same place occurred last week, causing great trouble; The rain has now ceased, and if /there is no further fall the line should be clear by to-morrow. RAILWAY DEPARTMENTS ADVICE. WELLINGTON. July 23. Advices received by the Railway Department show that considerable trouble is being experienced as the result pf slips on tho Main Trunk railway line between Tail) apo and Te Kuiti. The 9,10 p.m. train from Wellington to Auckland on Wednesday night ran into a slip at Piriaka and was held up by another slip at Xaringamutu. The latter slip was cleared at 7 o’clock on Thursday night, but in the meantime a- large slip came at Puketutn. The line was cleared there about 11 o’clock on Thursday night and the train left Taumarunui at midnight. Immediately after tho train had left Taumarunui another slip came down, resulting in the train being held up at Puketutu. The 1.10 p.m. train from Thorndon yesterday reached Taumarunui at 2 o’clock this morning and was still at the station at 10 a.m. to-day, when it was expected that passengers by that train and by tlie 0 p.m. train on Wednesday would get away. The Tradio Manager at Ohakune, reporting at 10 o’clock tills morning, states; It rained very heavily during the night: a number of slips were threatening between Te Kuiti and Tathape. Tho slip at Puketutu has been cleared several times hut continues falling, blocking the line. Between Horohanga and Hangatiki the line was about three feet under water. The express from Auckland and the night train from Wellington to-day will be cancelled. Passengers from Wellington by the midday train to-day will not get beyond Taihape, and passengers from Auckland will not be booked beyond Frankton. Owing to the nature of the slip it is impossible to tranship passengers at Puketutu. A washout occurred at Wangaehu, necessitating the cancelling of the early morning trains between Marton and Wanganui. The line was clear, however, about midday to-day and the New Plymouth express will not bo much delayed. Such a condition of affairs as now exists has never previously occurred in the history of the Alain Trunk line. In the past there have been cases in which, owing to slips resulting from heavy rain, railway traffic was hold up for several hours, necessitating the use of coaches to tranship passengers, but in all cases transhipment has been practicable. In this case, owing to the nature of the slips at Puketutu, tho reports received indicate that transhipment is quite impossible, so that passengers must remain on either side until the line is cleared. ALL TRAINS DELAYED. THE LINE UNDER WATER. WELLINGTON. July 23. The secretary of the General Post Office this afternoon received the following message from the Chief Postmaster at Auckland; — ’’The 12. 10 p.m.- express for Wellington is cancelled: the 5.50 p.m. express for 'Wellington to-night is not likely to get further than Frankton Junction: the Wellington express, due at Auckland at 2.55 p.m. yesterday, is still at Poro-o-taroa; the passengers are at Puketutu; the express due at Auckland at 6.43 a,m. to-day, and the express due at Auckland at 2.55 p.m. to-day are still at Taumarunui. ‘•Further slips between Te Kuiti and Puketutu are reported. ’’The line between Te Kuiti and Otorohanga is under water in places. Yester(jay’s express from Auckland is still at Te' Kuiti and there is no present prospect of getting the mail through by road. ■’The water is reported to be slightly abating."