LINE IS BLOCKED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17835, 1 May 1926, Page 2

LINE IS BLOCKED.

SERIOUS SUP ON RIMUTAKAS.

AVALANCHE FELL WITH GREAT NOISE. Per Press Association. CARTERTON, May 1. A heavy rainstorm broke over Fea t.herston last night, a deluge falling. Up to nine o’clock to-day 1.38 inches had been recorded. What is described by railwaymen as the. most serious slip that has ever occurred on the permanent way, is reported from the summit. An avalanche of soil, trees, rubbish and rocks came down the hill with a great rumble, and completely blocked the mouth of the long tunnel with thousands of tons. Gangs have been put on, but many hours of continuous labour must elapse ere the clearance will be made. Meanwhile railway passengers are being booked in Wairarapa to or from Cross Creek only. No mails are running, but endeavours are being made for service cars to carry letter mails over the hill road, which so far is reported clear. WAIRARAPA RIVERS? RISING: FLOODS COMING. (Special to the “Star.’ ) MASTERTON, May 1. Heavy rain began to fall early this morning throughout the Wairarapa, and the rivers are now in flood. A lot of low-lying country is under water and unless rain ceases the position will become very serious. Two inches of rain fell in four hours. The Rimutaka line is blocked owing to a slip in one of the tunnels on the hill, and it i§ not expected that there will be any trains to-day. Following on a drought of several months, the weather has now gone to the other extreme and there are floods threatened everywhere.

APRIL WAS FINE IN EVERY WAY.

NO FROST AND VERY LITTLE RAIN. April, 1926, is recorded at the Christchurch Observatory as a calm, dry, warm and equable month. Rain fell on only ten days during the period, tjfre maximum of 0.240 inches falling on Thursday, April 1. The total rainfall of 0.788 inches was 58 per cent below the April average. The warmest day was Monday. April 12. when the thermometer reached 77.4 degrees, and the coolest was on April 2, with 37.1 degrees. The mean barometer reading for the month was 30.027 degrees, and the daily range 1.257. The barometer reached the highest point (30.5 in) on April 19, and the lowest (29.213 in) on April 29. The mean maximum temperature in the shade was 64.2, and the mean minimum 47.4. * Approximately the mean temperature for the whole month was 55.8, and the mean daily range 16.8. The extreme range was 40.3. The exposed thermometers showed a mean maximum in the sun of 109.4, and indicated a maximum on Sunday, April 18, of 135 degrees. On the grass a mean minimum of 40.7 degrees was registered, the minimum reading being 28.9. The mean temperature was 2$ degrees above normal. In fact it was equal to that of November, the filth warmest month of the year. There were no severe frosts during the month, the conditions being very little different from those of March. The days were mostly bright and sunny, the amount of cloud being 6.6.