SLIPS AND WASHOUTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21588, 26 February 1940, Page 8

SLIPS AND WASHOUTS

PASSENGERS CAMP IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND. February 25. Rail traffic on the Main Trunk on Saturday was delayed by extensive slips and washouts between Te Kuiti and Taihape. Six trains which had already left Auckland were stopped. They Included two Saturday afternoon expresses from Auckland, two from Wellington, a special Territorial troop train for the military camp at Waiouru and a return week-end excursion which left for Wellington at 3.5 p.m. to-day. All were moving again by 5 o’clock this afternoon and it was estimated that the line would be clear by 9 o’clock to-night. Almost 2000 travellers were affected. Nearly 500 persons in southbound trains were compelled to camp in their carriages at Te Kuiti, while the same number from the south stayed at Ohakune. Tire 500 men in the train were held at Taumarunui,

while another 200 excursionists returning to Wellington were delayed at Frankton. Slips and washouts occurred at numerous points along the affected portion of the line, the two main falls covering the permanent way about a mile north of Taumarunui. Quick progress was made until the biggest slips were reached at 2 o’clock this afternoon. Cutting Filled The Wanganui district railway engineer, Mr J. Dow, who was in charge of the work, estimated that about 11,000 cubic yards of spoil had to be removed. One slip was about a chain in length and filled a cutting 10 feet deep. Fifty yards beyond that a second was almost one and a half chains long but of less depth. By a coincidence, the Wellington district railways engineer, Mr Smith, and Mr K. Simmers, assistant engineer from Auckland, were passengers on two of the trains, and they took part in the work of clearing the line. About 60 men from Territorial units also assisted the line gangs. The Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, and Mrs Jones, were passengers from Auckland. All Routes Blocked

According to reports received by the Automobile Association, all routes to Wellington via the West Coast or centre of the island are blocked. The New Plymouth route is blocked by slips at Tongaporutu and flooding south of Mount Messenger. The 'Te KuitiNational Park route is blocked by flooding in the Taumarunui district, which has closed all roads in the area, while the Taupo-National Park route is closed by the washing away of a bridge and washouts. The Association has also been advised that in the Bay of Plenty there has been flooding at Taneatua, but traffic is not held up as a detour is open near White Pine Bush. •