HEAVY FLOODS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10610, 8 June 1920, Page 4

HEAVY FLOODS

OARAGE IN THE NORTH LANDSLIPS ON THE LINE. EXPRESS TRAINS HELD UP. run tkess association. AUCKLAND, Juno 7. ; Hoary-rain caused landslips on thff Wain ’Trunk railway, particularly between Te Awaimmi and Otorohanga. The express trains to-day did not run beyond Lrankton Junction and Te Awamutu. There arc also slips on 'the Rotorua and Thames lines. TE KUITI ISOLATED. SUDDEN RISE BLOCKS THE TRAINS. TE KUITI, June 7, Heavy floods occurred on Saturday night. The,, river through tho towii has overflowed, and a large area is in. undated. Slips on the main roads have isolated the town. They are being cleared. : The express got through on Sunday inight, but the sudden rise of the water early on Monday morning blocked the early trains.' Minor slips to the south have been removed. There was damage in the shops by tho flood, water.

The flood is receding, but the sky is overcast.

It. was reported at midday that there was still two or three feet of water over the line north of Hangatiki, but that it was all clear south. The express from the south will leave <m its return this evening if no train from tho north gets through. Later. Torrential rain on Saturday night flooded Te Kuiti. The water invaded several shops, and the damage, was fairly heavy. The town is isolated by slips on the main roads, but gangs are at work clearing them away. The Sunday express from the north got through, hut on Monday morning the water rose rapidly, and the line between Rangatiki and Otorohanga 'became covered to a depth of three feet. Tlie express from the south stopped here. A fatality is reported from Honikiwi. Mr E. F. Duncklcy, Public Works Overseer, being swept off his • horse and drowned. The body has not boon found. Several bridges _ have gone in tbc country, and there have been numerous slips and other damageThe weather has cleared to-day, and .it is hoped to get the trains through to-morrow. A FATALITY'. PUBLIC WORKS OFFICER LOSES LIFE. AUCKLAND, June 7. Considerable damage to roads and bridges by the floods is reported by the country correspondents of tha “Herald.” One death is reported, that of Mi - Prank Duncklcy, supervisor for tha Public Works Department, who was inspecting the damage near Otorohanga when ho got into difficulties in tha washout and was drowned. Although the rain had ceased, tha Waikato River was in heavy flood, and was rising at the rate of an inch an hour, while several roads were under, ■- w ater. .

i A small slip occurred on the railway line to the Pukerairo Mine, hut the men worked nil day on Sunday, and cleared the debris. Railway services throughout the province arc more or less disorganised. HIGHEST FOR FOUR. TEARS. WAXGAXOI AND’ONGARUE RIVERS. ; TAUMARUNLT. June 7. ' On Saturday and Sunday heavy rain flooded the AVaneanui and Ongarue rivers, the floods being the highest for four years. Both rivers are Hooded from bank to bank. There has bgen a fair amount of erosion, but nothing serious. The new traffic bridge anil protection works over the Wanganui' river stood the test well. At the 1 boait-1 ending the Ongarue was nin< feet above the ordinary water-mark, and it is doubtful if the riverboa-t will go down to-day. It is reported that there is twenty-six feet of extra water ait the houseboat. She is now anchored over the flower beds. DOWNPOUR AT TAI’RANGA. MUNICIPAL SERVICES CUT OPE. TALTRANGA, June 7. The easterly gale, which commenced •with a heavy downpour on Thursday evening, spent itself last evening, Hi inches of rain being recorded during the period. The electricity and tho water supply were cut off yesterday. The former was restored this morning, but the water was uncertain. All the rivets in the.district were heavily flooded, but no serious damage is reported. Several washouts accurrerl on the railway line between here and Mata-tn, and the regular service will probably he suspended for som< days. AROUND ROTORUA. WASHOUTS OX RATLAA’AV LINE. ROTORUA, Juno 7. Nine feet eleven inches of rain fell during the IS hours ending at 9 o’clock this morning. The Utuhina sbrohn rose ton feet, and the'water entered t few houses on the banks, but no son ous damage resulted. The waters sub sided quickly when the ruin slackened, and the Weather G now fine. The Auckland express left about 1 o’clock this afternoon, and the inward express is expected to arrive about S p.m. The washout at Mamaku lias been temporarily repaired. At the washout a Putnruru. tho passengers had to be transferred.