SLIPS AND FLOODS.

Wairarapa Age, 22 August 1929, Page 5

SLIPS AND FLOODS.

RIMUTAKA ROAD BLOCKED BY BIG SLIDE. TRAFFIC STOPPED UNTIL FRIDAY »LOW-LYING AKxuAS UNDER WATER. The drenching rain Experienced i> the Wairarapa and surrounding districts during the past two days was followed yesterday by a somewhat serious slip on the Rimutaka Road. There are also prospects of a big flood in the Lower Valley district. It is unlikely that the road at the slip will be passable for traffic for two or three days. The slip on the Rimutaka Road, which is on the Featherston side of the “Midland” corner, came down early yesterday morning. It constitutes a tremendous slide of thousands of tons of rock, earth and debris, estimated to be seventy feet high. It has completely blocked the road. Almost throughout yesterday there was a continuous fall of rocks and spoil. Vehicles are not allowed within two hundred yards of either side of the slip, owing to its dangerous nature, and as a consequence the car services between Wellington and Masterton were suspended yesterday. It is hoped that it may be possible to tranship passengers to-day, but it is estimated that it will take at least until midday on Friday to clear the slip. Yesterday, on account of the attendant dangers, workmen were only able to work from one end of the obstruction. There were also four other slips, of a minor nature, three of which could be navigated with care. The other would require about a half-day’s work to dear. It is also reported that higher up the hill the roadway itself has /lipped away, the fence line hanging in the air. The only other slips reported in the district are two on the Blairlogie Hill, but these have not stopped traffic. FLOODS PROBABLE. A big flood is anticipated in the Lower Valley. The Ruamahanga River was very high at Ahiakouka yesterday, and the waters of the Waiohine River had banked up in the lower portion. The water was over the main road near the Waiohine Bridge for most of the day and traffic was held up a good part of the day. The new stop bank erected by the trustees of the Ahiakouka Soldier Settlement and other settlers was topped by the water of the river, due, it is said, to the bank making the water higher than before. About twenty chains of bank will probably need attention. The Swamp Road and a good deal of land in the vicinity was under water. At Pukio, the Ruamahanga River was Tunning very high and it was expected that it would overflow during the night. The last break in the big stop bank has not been completely repaired and this will allow the waters to come through to flood the lower lands. The Pirinoa streams were also reported to be bank high and there is a tremendous amount of surface water about. The road at Te Ore Ore was reported to. be under water last night, and there was also about two feet of water over the Tinui Road near the Whareama Stream. RAILWAY LINE CLEAR. The Railway Department reported last night that the line north and south was clear. FLOOD WARNINGS. At a meeting of the Greytown Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, a letter was received from the acting Postmaster in Greytown stating that in the event of a flood signal being installed, the telephone exchange operators would pass on the warning to the telephone subscribers concerned, free of charge, provided the subscribers were connected with the Greytown Exchange. If they were connected with any other exchange it would be necessary for the usual toll charges to be paid. The secretary reported that he had written to the Farmers’ Union in reference to the installation of flood alarms, and as a result a meeting was to be held in Greytown this evening to discuss the matter.