AGAIN DELAYED

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20887, 19 August 1939, Page 8

AGAIN DELAYED

TRAINS ON MAIN LINE LIMITED THREE HOURS LATE BUSY TIME AT FRANKTON Trouble on the Main Trunk line caused long delays to trains last night and this morning, the limited express from the south reaching Frankton this morning three hours late. A special train in connection with the school holidays which left Wellington last night and was due at Frankton at 8.2 4 a.m. did not arrive until 10.54 a.m., while the express due at the junction at 4.30 a.m. came in at 7.18 a.m. With all public schools closing yesterday for the second term holidays a busy time was experienced at Frankton Junction,, the platforms being crowded for the arrival of the ordinary express, the limited and a special which reached Frankton shortly after the limited. Bookings on the limited this week were heavy in preparation for the holidays, and accommodation was taxed when a large number of passengers Joined the train at Frankton last night. The earlier express also carried a large number of children and parents on holiday while carriages on the extra express were well filled. Despite the added traffic all trains left Frankton for Wellington according to schedule. PASSENGER’S DENIAL CONDITIONS ON TRAINS “There have apparently been complaints from passengers about conditions on the trains which have to pass through the affected areas, but from my experience the staff of the department did everything possible in the circumstances,” said Mr S. Elliott, of Waikino, a passenger on a special express which arrived from Wellington this morning. Mr Elliott said he had heard passengers remark that information about the runn4ig of trains was not being made available, but personally he had received every facility. Where passengers had to be transhipped in buses there was certainly a little crowding, but he considered that the passengers had fared very well in the circumstances. AIR CONNECTION PLANE LEAVES LATER (By TelegTaph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Saturday. Owing to ithe delayed arrival of the Limited from Auckland this morning the Union Airways decided to delay the southbound plane from Wellington to enable passengers to connect with it. The Limited arrived at 11.27 and the plane left at 11.46. 12,000 ACRES INUNDATED [ SETTLERS FORCED FROM HOMES HEAVY LOSS OF STOCK i LINES STILL SUBMERGED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) > LEVIN, Saturday The full effect of the flood in the Manawatu River and tributaries was a felt yesterday by settlers in the lower reaches around Buckley and Moutoa. , Near Shannon the waters continued l to pour over the low-lying lands through the breaches forced in the ) protection banks. Fully 12,000 acres are covered, the depths ranging from four to ten feet. Yesterday in the Buckley area the - houses of five settlers and two Chini’ cse market gardeners were surt I rounded, the water being as high as three feet in the rooms. Only the F tops of haystacks were seen, while U cattle, horses and sheep lined the stophanks. The flood at Moutoa came with amazing swiftness, forcing seven settlers and natives living in the pa to abandon their homes, the rooms filling to a depth of two feet. Large numbers of stock were removed to higher ground hut some settlers will be heavy losers. On one small patch of high ground 300 cows are assembled. Today the waters receded fully two feet, but the position of farmers is serious. The land already is in a waterlogged condition and the floodwaters are likely to lie for three . e weeks on some areas, depriving the )s settlers still further of much needed pasture. Those which clear 'much more readily will suffer from deposits lg of silt. Rail communication between ShanG non and Levin is not yet restored, passengers being conveyed between Hie two towns by bus. The line i; h j covered to a depth of a few inches i- and until the waters recede to perrt snit of inspection the usual service x\ill not he resumed. le i;1 EVERYTHING DONE *h Hv REPLY TO COMPLAINTS rh ill (By TeiegTaph.—Press Association) )n WELLINGTON, Friday “We are doing everything possible to get the trains through and on service's, and at the same time study the safety and comfort of passengers,” said the Railway Department, referring today to the comj plaints of two passengers who Iravclj Jed from Auckland to Wellington yesI Lerday by the limited express. It wai j stated that passengers were givei | only the vaguest information abou afj j the delay, or no information at all. i v I The Railway Department said tin ~’j \ limited travelled as far as Utiku, fin ; miles south of Taihape, when slip: ! prevented further progress. Rathe i than maroon the train at a lonel; t 0 ! country station, the limited was takei ; back to Taihape. and passengers wen jp j advised that it would leave again a 10.30 a.m. In the meantime the; were able to leave the train and ban ]_ | hot meals in Taihape. The washou ;1 _ j near Rata was totally unexpected, am * could not have been foreseen whei

the train left Taihape at 10.30 as arranged. The limited was subsequently delayed at Rata until 2.30 p.m. while the track was being repaired, but in the meantime steam heating was maintained in the cars. The guard had a particularly exhausting day, and did everything possible in the interests of the passengers, and supplied all the information available. After leaving Rata passengers were advised when they would reach Mar ton, where hot meals were ready, and were later advised when they would reach Palmerston North and Wellington. GORGE ROAD CLEARED •SETTLERS’ IN T SAD PLIGHT (By Telegraph.—Press Association) PALMER ST U N N., Friday Sufficient debris has been cleared away at the slip in the Manawatu Gorge to enable motorists to pass, but much care is needed. The track steadily is being improved on the Pahiatua Hill Road, which is the ■ alternative route to the Gorge, but it ; is still blocked. 1 The Feikling-Awahuri route is open. 1 and the water is receding on most > other roadj where inundation occurred. 1 The weather is improving, and the Manawatu River is falling, • but the plight of settlers in the lower areas ;s a distressing one, thousands of acres still being covered and parts of the district in the Kopane-Rangiotu area are cut off from road transport. MAIN TRUNK LINE HERCULEAN TASK FACED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) TAIHAPE, Friday The Main Trunk line is blocked by a big slip, which came down shortly after the limited express passed this ; morning, and it is unlikely that the slip ' will be cleared to-day. * A work train with a large gang of c men, was despatched to the scene of the blockage early this morning, and * are working in heavy rain. About 900 5 yards of spoil have fallen, and the 2 workmen are faced with a herculean 5 task. 1 The limited arrived at Taihape at 5.10 a.m. after crawling through that 2 section of the line where the slip sub- " sequently occurred. A passenger service has been inaugs urated between Taihape and llihitahi, e and mails for the north are being dese pat died by this service.

1 HOUSES SURROUNDED a s TWO FEET OF WATER IN ROOMS e (Special to Times) e PALMERSTON N., Friday s There is 4ft. of water across the Foxton-Koputaroa Road, and sft. in o adjacent paddocks. Several houses is are surrounded, the water being as a high as 2ft. in the rooms. Only the l- tops of haystacks are to he seen, and e some were on the move. Horses, c cattle and sheep line the stopbanks. d Two Chinese gardeners sought the h safety of a stopbank, from which they ;s were rescued by boat. When Hood water from the Manai- walu River surged down on liis home 1, at Moutoa, Mr 11. L. R. Oulnlan had to n rush his family from their beds to is safety. •s All-night efforts of settlers in the vicinity of the bridge over the Manage watu River on the Fiiunnon-Foxton highway failed to stop a further break in the banks, and water poured into hundreds of acres of land, a tract about three miles long and a mile wide being inundated. As much stock as possible was removed, hut the water poured through so rapidly that losses were fairly heavy. SLIP STRIKES LORRY le ■ y BODY WRENCHED FROM CHASSIS le t- (Special to Times) i- WANGANUI, Friday 1- Mr T. Dix, engineer to the Waito- -- tara County Council, who was maris ooned in the back country of the m floods has returned to Wanganui. He Lit says it will be fully three days before Ihe Kauarapara Junction Road can he ic cleared of slips. The Ahu Ahu Valley fc Road is also blocked, hi the Waitops tara Valley the river has flooded over er the roa.d. ly When his motor lorry was struck - n by a large slip on River Road, about l>e 18 miles from Wanganui, Mr L. u. at Rayner, of Wanganui, escaped without injury, although the body of the ,e lorry was wrenched from (he chassis Llt and tlie wreckage carried down an 1(1 embankment and buried in spoil. :B