MANY SLIPS TO BE CLEARED

Chronicle (Levin), 26 September 1946, Page 4

MANY SLIPS TO BE CLEARED

.Prp.ua A Sfbinin.tinn

MAIN TRUNK RAIL TRAFFIC STILL DiSLOCATED, .

TO11 T plp.rirn.n7i. —

AUCKLAND, f3ept.-25. Rail traffic on the Main Trunk line is not likely to be back to normal until Friday as there are still many slips to be eleared between Te Kniti and Taumarunui. It is reported tonight that there had been another big slip near Kopaki. Until the line is elear all passengers on through trains will be transhipped by bus between Te Kuiti and Taumarunui. The goods traiu wMeh was derailed' between Kopaki and Te Kuiti, has not yet been reaclied by tbe breakdown train as there are slips in the way. The Wellington express that left Auckland at 3 p.m. on Tuesday arrived at Te Kuiti at S.12 p.m. and ten minutes later all the passengers were transferred to 17 buses. On the way to Taumarunui the buses ploughed through water which at oue spot reaehed a depth of tlirec feet. Some of the buses were stopped by the water and had to be towed out. The Wellington bound passengers eventually reaehed Taumarunui at 11 ^.m. and left by traiu for Wellington shortly before midnigbt. The Wellington-Aucklnnd express on Tugsday arrived at Taumarunui at 1.15 this morning and the passengers were taken to Te Ivuiti by 17 buses. They arrived at 7.6 a.m. and left by train for Auckland. Work on c-learing tho slips was continued todav although rain continued to fall tln-eatening further landslidcs. The first slip is about ten.miles south of Te Ivuiti and this is the one that is stopping the breakdown train from reaching the derailed goods train. There are also four slips between Poro-o-Tarao and Waimiha. A mechanical shovel was seut. to Te Kuiti todav from Auckland to assist in elearing the line. Perisliable goods that were being transported by the Railwavs Department when the slips occurred, are being taken between Te Kuiti and Taumarunui by motor trucks. Two hundred tons of hananas and 540 sacks of cabbages and eauliflowers are being sent from Te Kuiti to Taumarunui and 20 trucks ranging from four-ton vehicles to tenton six-wheelers, have been requisitioned for the task which is likely to takeseveral davs to coinplete. The hananas are for Wellington and the cabbages and eauliflowers for southern distriets of the North Tsland where they ai-e urgently needed. Peservntions on the 3 p.m. train which left Auckland for Wellington todav were heavv, The train whieli was planned to leave at 3.30 p.m. was cancelled. As a result performers of the •T. C. Williamson Opera Companv have been left in Hamilton where they have been playing. Tf arrangements were not made for them and their gear to be taken to Taumarunui by bus and lorrv, they were expeeted to leave Taumarunui for Wellington by special train at 10 o'clock tnnio-ht.