MAIN TRUNK.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1920, Page 5

MAIN TRUNK.

SLIPS BLOCK THE LINE. EXPRESS TRAINS HELD UP, By Telegraph—Press Association, Wellington, Oct. 1. Dislocation of traffic on the Main Trunk line is reported by the Railway Department. Yesterday's mid-day express from We'lington to Auckland got through all right, but, owing to heavy slips between Mataroa and Mangaweka and a washcut between Hunterville and Rata, the line is blocked between Marton and Ohakune. Yesterday's day express from Auckland is held up at Taihape and the night" express from Auckland has only got as far as Ohakune. Last night's Auckland express from Wellington is still at Marton. Passengers by the Auckland-Wellington express, now at Ohakune, are to be transferred by road to the other Main Trunk express at Taihape, whence it will be dispatched as soon as the line is clear, but at present the authorities cannot say when that will he possible or when the trftin may be expected to reach Wellington. It has been decided that the Wellington to Auckland midday express should be cancelled. This morning the department war advised that it was still raining heaviiy in the affected district. THE LATEST POSITION. ONE TRAIN GETS THROUGH. LINE CLEAR TO-DAY. Taihape, Last Night. The railway line south of Taihape was temporarily patched up to allow the express which left Auckland on Thursday to leave Taihape about 4 o'clock this afternoon for Wellington. The line north of Taihape will not be cleared to permit the express to pass till mid-day un Saturday. The express due at Auckland to-day was able to get back from the Hihitahi blockage to OhakuneApparently the heaviest slip is between Taihape and Mataroa. . Large gangs are working on the slip day and night clearing a passage for Saturday's express, leaving the main work for Sunday. To make katterß worse, the north and south roads are blocked to motor cars | and other traffic. Many district roads ] are also impassable. Up till this afternoon, it was almost impossible to leave Tailuipe owing to slips and wash-outs. RECORD FLOODS. TAIHAPE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. Taihape, Oct. 1. An exceptionally heavy fall of rain occurred throughout the Taihape district last night,, causing the highest floods in the memory of old settlers. There were several slips on the Main Trunk line south of Taihape, between Utiku and Mangaweka, two wash-outs between Mangaweka and Hunterville, and also a big landslide on the railway between Taihape nad Mataroa. A goods train from the south got through, but the axle boxes of the guard's van were stripped off through striking debris. The worst obstruction is between Taihape and Mataroa, where a slip completely covered the line and damaged the rail's. -The whole railway service is suspended. The Taihape borough electric pow/r system was seriously damaged by a tree falling from a bank a distance of 50 feet, and smashing a part of the electric cables. The damage cannot be repaired till late in the day, rendering the publication of the local paperimpossible- Rivers and watercourses are overflowing in every direction.