HEAVY FLOODING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 180, 1 July 1937, Page 11

HEAVY FLOODING

POSITION IN THE NORTH. TRAIN SCHEDULES UPSET. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 30. Trains -were held up, roads were blocked to all traffic and farm lands were flooded as a result of heavy rain that fell in all parts of North Auckland on Wednesday night and to-day. Rain was still falling to-night and further heavy flooding is likely. Continued heavy rain washed out a hole eight feet wide and four feet deep on the railway line between Akerarna and Towai, north of Whangarei, and prevented expresses to and from Opua from getting through to-day. The south-bound express from Opua was held up at. Tawoi and arrangements were made for a temporary motor service to Hnkercnui. After one load of passengers had been transferred. however, the flood waters rose and the motor vehicle in use broke down. Some of the through passengers for Auckland walked round the flooded portion of the line and continued their journey by train, leaving Whangarei shortly after 5 o'clock tonight. but the remainder were forced to return to Towai. Flood waters rose very high m the afternono. and there was 6 feet of water over the mains highway at Hukerenui. The express from Auckland got as far as Hukerenni on the southern side of the damaged portion .of line late this afternoon after running on a submerged track for nearly a mile. Most of the passengers for stations beyond Hukerenni spent the night at Whangarei. No further damage to the permanent way was reported to-night and, although there «as flooding of the line at AVayby, between Wellsford and Kaipara Flats, the express leaving Auckland at 4.5 p.m. got through to Whangarei without much difficulty. As a result of the had weather there will he no trains from north of Whnkapnra. and the express fo Auckland will start from there. Unless weather conditions are greatly improved, ie is doubtful whether the north-bounci express will proceed further than Whaknparn to-morrow afternoon. Reports received by the Automobile Association (Auckland) stated that most of the main routes north of Whangarei were blocked to traffic byflood waters. The main -road front Whangarei was blocked by a slip in the Waipit Gorge, but this was cleared nwav and the road was open again in the afternoon. The flood waters near Portland had fallen sufficiently in the afternoon to allow motorists through. Further south tuc main highway was clear of water, hut indi-cations''to-night were that it might be blocked to-morrow.

MINISTER’S DIFFICULTIES. TOUR MAY BE DELAYED. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 30. As the result of the continued rain there is a possibility that the actingPrime Minister (Hon. P. Fraser) may be temporarily stranded in Whangarei. Mr Fraser’s engagements today were fairly light and there was no great call for him to brave the rain which fell practically incessantly. However, his programme embraces visits to Kaikohe and Kawakawa tomorrow and to Dargavillc on Friday, unless the weather clears suddenly and remains fine it is unlikely he will be able to leave Whangarei. Reports to-day indicated that the road to the north was blocked and that floods and slips made the route to Dargaville impassable. It vftll not he known until to-morrow morning whether the Minister will he able to fulfil the rest of engagements in the north. If rain continues he may ho delayed in returning to Auckland as the main highway to-day was blocked by a slip in the AVaipu Gorge.