DAMAGING FLOODS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20886, 18 August 1939, Page 8

DAMAGING FLOODS

MORE TROUBLE

MAIN TRUNK SLIPS LIMITED NINE HOURS LATE 24 HOURS ON SOUTH TRIP Further trouble has been cxperienc- [ ed on the main trunk railway line between Utiku and Mangaweka. and passenger trains are still being delayed i for several hours, while goods traffic i has been practically disorganised. The first express from Wellington to Auckland, due at Frankton Junction , at 4.30 this morning, was two hours late and the limited express was three hours late in arriving at Frankton. Further slips and washouts near Taihape are reported to be the cause of the delays. Yesterday the southbound limited express arrived at Wellington about 6.30 last evening, approximately nine hours late. The train reached Taihape on schedule at 4.15 a.m. yesterday, leaving at. 4.30 a.m. On arrival at Utiku, six miles south of Taihape, however, advice was received that the line was blocked by several slips between Utiku and Mangaweka, which would require a number of hours to clear. The express was brought back to Taihape, where it remained until 10.30 During the long delay the passengers breakfasted in Taihape hotels. Preparations were made to convey them to Marton by road, but owing to slips on the highway these had to be abandoned. Delayed a Second Time The train left Taihape for the second time at 10.30 a.m., but was held up at Utiku until nearly mid-day, when the line to Mangaweka was clear. Owing to a large washout on the line near Rata, however, the train was delayed for some time at Hunterville, the journey through to Wellington taking nearly 24 hours. About 100 men from Utiku and Mangaweka worked through the night in teeming rain on the series of slips, while gangs from Marton, Hunterville and Rata were engaged repairing the line at the scene of the washout. Goods and passenger services between Taihape and Marton were dislocated, some being suspended. LINE UNDER WATER TRAINS AT STANDSTILL (By Telegraph.—Press Association) PALMERSTON N., Friday Owing to water on the ShannonKoputaroa section of the railway the south-bound limited and ordinary expresses, which arrived late here, are held up indefinitely near Shannon. Information at present is meagre. Two goods trains from Wellington are held up on the southern side. The water is still rising. RIVER BANK BURSTS 10,000 ACRES UNDER WATER (Special to Times) PALMERSTON N., Friday A break in the protecting bank at Spring’s Bend, on the Manawatu River south of Shannon, early yesterday morning, resulted in the flooding of a large area of land in the locality known as Buckley. r fhe river rose rapidly overnight and by yesterday afternoon there was a vast tract of water, under which were the farms I of numerous settlers. With the river running at a very high level there is considerable danger to surrounding country, from which stock was removed. Shortly after four o’clock in the afternoon another breach was made in the new bank some yards downstream, and this would have the effect during the nijght of assisting in filling up the Buckley basin. Where the break has occurred is about a mile from the main railway line from Auckland to Wellington. The roar caused by water pouring through the break in the banking system could be heard several miles away, and hour by hour the gap was being enlarged as water tore through. Houses Evacuated There are at least 10,000 acres of land covered with either surface or Hood water, and the position from the point of view of the farming community, is most serious. Lamb losses are reported on every band. In Palmerston North there were instances of houses having to be evacuated in haste owing to waters from the Mangaone Stream and the Kawau drain invading properties on the outskirts of the city, in many places main highways are under water and in cases impassable. VAGUE INFORMATION COMPLAINT BY PASSENGER (Bj Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Thursday “Passengers were given only the vaguest of information about the delay or no information at all,” said Mr A. K. North, of Auckland, a passenger on the limited express. “Most of the passengers felt the delay was serious, and considered the Railway Department should have given more information.” Widespread heavy rain in the southj ern half of the North Island last night and again to-day dislocated railway traffic generally. The south-bound New Plymouth express, delayed by slips, reached Wellington two hours late, and delays occurred to other trains on the Manawatu and W'airarapa lines, i lips also occurred in the Manawatu Gorge.

ROAD BLOCKED

OROUA RIVER FLOOD • MANY FARMS UNDER WATER FAMILY MOVES FURNITURE » By TeleeTAph.—Fress Association) PALMERSTON X., Friday Through the Oroua river overflowing _ or breaking its bank at a number of j piaces, flood water last night inun- . dated hundreds of acres in the Lockgood and lower Kairanga areas. It 1 backed up across the Foxton line to--1 wards the Manawatu river. The effect . of this was to block the main highway • at Rangiotu, the route soon becoming impassable owing to the depth of water, which to-day was up to two " feet between Hamilton's line, just beyond Tiakitahuna and Rangitane. Between Rangitane and Rangiotu, J where there are two important drains, l there is a depth of four feet. HowJ ever, there arc indications that the peak lias been reached, and the water • is slowly beginning to subside. Mean- ‘ while the road is blocked. Practically all the trouble has come from the Oroua river. Many farms 1 are flooded. The Karerc Road was 1 choked for a period Ibis morning with • 3000 sheep being driven from one property alone. At Lockwood they ) had to negotiate shallow water which was flowing across the road. ’ iCwing to water backing up in the ' flooded drains large paddocks were 5 flooded on either side of the Karerc 1 and Rongotea Roads, the water haying ' come across the latter in places. Sections of the lower Aorangi Road are also flooded. Worst Since 1926 l The banking held the Manawatu 1 River to its course at Tiakitahuna and • Hamilton's bend, or the flooding would ; have been much more severe, but the ■ low-lying land between the main road , and the Manawatu River suffered the 1 worst inundation since 1926, particularly in the locality of the Riverbank l Road, where every farm is under t water, which entered one home to a . depth of six inches. ; The Manawatu River overflowed be- : tween Rangitane and Rangiotu, joining i forces with water from the Oroua ■ River and Bourse's drain. 5 Considerable trouble has been experienced along the banks of the Mangaone stream, but this dropped several feet this .morning. Water also receded from the Rangitikei line. On the boundary road opposite Awapuna the water was still as high as the tops of the fences. Property Suffers Situated on the edge of the Taonui basin, close to Rangitane, the propertv of Messrs Harrison and Lett suffered severely from flooding by the Oroua river, the water being 44 feet deep in places. The cattle have been evacuated to the high land on the other side of Rangiotu, and breeding ewes were scattered along the railway line, which is out of reach of the flood. However, substantial lambing losses in the flooded areas arc considered inevitable. The Hood also came at a bad time for young calves, which arc standing in inches of water in some places. Furniture Moved A newspaper runner was marooned bv ihc flood on Mill Road, Kopane, when lie stepped out. in water up to his waist. The Forlong family nearby removed I heir furniture by dray and later towed the runners' car towards Rongotea. where he spent the night. The main Oroua Downs-Sanson Road ; s covered in several places. Conditions generally are now improving. ANOTHER SLIP movements of trains TARANAKI DIVERSION POSSIBLE (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday The ordinary and limited expresses from Auckland" were delayed by a slip at Mataroa, and the necessity Lor transferring passengers from Kuputaroa to Levin resulted altogether in those on the ordinary express uui\in o three hours late at W ellington, and those on the limited two hours late. The railway authorities state that the line between Levin and Koputaroa is In some places feet deep under water and they are unable to say with any certainty when the line will be clear. In the man time a fleet of buses has been organised, and the delay to passengers is not expected to exceed an hour. The Manawatu Gorge is clear for trains. There is still some doubt about whether the Auckland expresses to- • day will be able to get through on the main trunk line. There are three expresses scheduled, leaving at 3 p.m., ■ 7.15 p.m. and 7.40 p.m. 1 Reports received at headquarters slate there is a possibility of the slip at Mataroa being cleared by 9 p.m. tonight, in which event trains should be able to run practically to schedule after leaving Koputaroa. In the event of the slip not being clear at Mataroa the Auckland expresses will be diverted through Taranaki, 'and if that is necessary they will be 34 hours late in arriving at Auckland. EXTENSIVE ROAD DAMAGE : WANGANUI RIVER DISTRICT (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WANGANUI, Friday Heavy rain during the last few days • has caused much damage in the ■ Wanganui. Waitotaru and Rangitikei ‘ districts, and many slips on the roads have disorganised trallie. Extensive damage has been caused 1 in the Wangaehu Valley, and the ManY gamahu Road is blocked in many 1 places. Telephone communication is *' also cut off. It probably will be five > days before the road is open, r Both the Long Acre Valley and No. i 3 line routes are blocked, and it is ■ estimated it will take three days to dear the roads sufficiently to allow

of traffic being restored. There is ail extensive blockage on the Wanganui River Road, through slips and washouts, and probably it will be two weeks before the road is open again. In the meantime settlers can be served by river steamers. The road between Parikinu and Jerusalem is blocked. There is a large washout at Matahiwi and the back country roads :n the Waitotara County are blocked by slips. Slip on Main Road A large slip on Turakina Hill yesterday blocked the main highway, but it was cleared before daylight. Telephone communication with Mangamahu, Makirikiri and Fordell is interrupted. It is expected the line to J Makirikiri and Fordell wiU be cleared to-day, but the Mangamahu Valley presents more difficulties owing to the nature of the slips. It is not expected the slips on the Parapara highway will be cleared ;n time to permit of traffic at the weekend. Two Angle dozers have been sent from Wanganui to assist in clearing the roads. The largest slip is at Houghton's Ilill, and it is very extensive. Some motor cars are isolated on the road between slips, also three motor lorries. Some of tlre slips are very i greasy and are still creeping, i The Wanganui and Turakina Rivers i are in high llood, and there is inucn j driftwood.