MANY ROADS BLOCKED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22504, 12 September 1938, Page 10

MANY ROADS BLOCKED

EFFECT OF HEAVY RAIN IN WAIRARAPA

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) MASTERTON, September 11. The rain eased off this afternoon, and although many roads are blocked, traffic generally is being resumed Some roads will be closed for several days by slips. One or two motor mail services are held up by floods. The train service is back to normal. Though the rain eased off during Friday night, it began again on Saturday morning. flooding was then reported in South Wairarapa, where roads and much low lying co.untrjr"were under water. . . In Masterton more than one inch and a .half of rain fell during the 24 hours ended 9 o’clock on Saturday morning, and at Mauriceville three inches Tell in the same period. In the northern part of the Wai‘rarapa serious flooding and slips were reported. There was heavy mortality among lambs 'in some districts owing t<f the cold change. The' Featherston-Martinborough road was blocked by flood waters at Tawaka. The mail car on Saturday morning was unable to get through. Although water reached a high level on Frid-y night, the main road at Waiohiije bridge, near, Greytown, was open oh Saturday morning. The Makuri Gorge was blocked by slips and the Blairlogie road was also impassable. _ Some roads were blocked on Friday but later reopened for traffic. The heavy rain that night brought down further slips, blocking the Maungaraki and Tyneside roads.

RIVER ENCROACHES ON RAILWAY

PASSENGERS HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON, September 10,

Trains are held up on tlje Wairarapa and Upper Hutt line by the encroachment of the Hutt river north of the shingle recovery plant at Melling. Passengers are being transferred by bus. It is not known how long the hold-up will continue, but it is expected to be overcome by this afternoon. Slips on- the Wellington-Woodville line yesterday delayed trains. A mixed train from Masterton to Woodvillewas help up till 10.40 p.m., and the 3.30 p.m. rail-car from Wellington, via Wairarapa to Palmerston North, stopped at Masterton until the line was clear, passengers being taken on by bus. A boulder which fell in the Manawatu Gorge last night delayed rail traffic f®r 40 minutes.-