FLOODS NEAR SWANSON DISLOCATE SERVICES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 419, 30 July 1928, Page 13

FLOODS NEAR SWANSON DISLOCATE SERVICES

RAILWAY traffic continues, but ROADS ARE BLOCKED

Slips and flooding in the districts immediately north of Swanson have caused serious delays to rail and road traffic. All trains got through this morning but there is small chance of road traffic resuming to-day at Kumeu, Waimauku, Rewiti and T aupaki. Fairly small slips blocked the line near the Waitakere tunnel and the 4 p.m. train from Auckland yesterday eoukl go no further than Swanson. It returned to Henderson, and Puses were commissioned to take passengers to He.lensville. where they arrived at 10 o’clock last night. Floods delayed them at Kumeu. LONG MOTOR JOURNEY Buses were used to take passengers from TTelensville to Henderson, the 6.33 p.m. train being cancelled. Over three hours were taken on the trip, the vehicles not reaching Henderson until 3.20 o’clock this morning. A special train from Auckland took out a repair gang last evening to remove slips between the Swanson railway bridge, wherf there has been a wash-out, and the Waitakere tunnel. The workmen kept at their task all night and the lines were cleared this morning. “KEEP OFF THE ROAD” “Keep off the road” is the advice issued by the Auckland Automobile Association’s service bureau regarding heavy flooding on the main road at Kumeu and Rewiti, and an extensive earthfall over three-quarters of a chain of the Taupaki Road. Bureau officers are not opliirustic over the chances of vehicles getting through today. Flood waters cover the road at Waimauku. Motor-cars were able to pass the stretch yesterday under hazardous conditions. but the further rising of the Kumeu River has caused flooding to be easily four feet deep on some stretches. There is little possibility of proper clearance to-day at Taupaki and there are several feet of water on the road there.

So far the flooding shows no sign of subsiding enough to let traffic through to-day. Water rose noticeably overnight. Gangs will be active on clearing work at the earliest opportunity.

GALE AT THAMES

FARMERS SUFFER

MAIN HIGHWAY SUBMERGED (From Our Own Correspondent) THAMES, Sunday. A south-easterly gale, accompanied by driving rain, raged furiously in Thames Valley to-day, and at a late hour showed no sign of abatement. The main road from Paeroa to Te Aroha is blocked to traffic. Many farmers suffered hardships as the result of what is generally regarded as a record flood, which has passed previous figures by at least 12 inches. After three days of fine weather the waters had receded appreciably yesterday between Mangaiti and Tirohia. There is still, however, much desola.tion immediately south of Paeroa, where the main highway is submerged under 3ft. of water for nearly a mil** Early in the week many herds clos« to profit were removed to hill areas, and it is now doubtful whether they can be safely returned to the milking sheds within a fortnight. After viewing the flooded areas in the Tirohia-Aotokohu district on Thurs.Vy, M.r. O. G. Thornton, resident engineer of the Public Works Department, afforded needed relief to an inundated area of approximately 5,000 acres by dynamiting about 15yds. of the Waihou River stopbank near th** junction of the Ohinemuri River. This enabled the flood waters confined between the stopbanks to escape into the lowered Waihou River, and the* flood waters were lowered by nearly ISin. It is the intention of the department to reconstruct the stop-bank near Cadman Road by means of a dragline dredge as soon as the Waihou River recedes to enable the machine to be worked. STEADY DROP AT MERCER (From Our Otcn Correspondent) MERCER, To-day. Flood waters in the Mercer district receded steadily during the week-end, although the rainfall yesterday morning checked the fall. The river is still six or seven feet above the normal level. Motor-cars have been towed through the flooded stretch of road, but they should now be able to proceed without help. There is now little water on the railway tracks.