THE RAILWAY BLOCK.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1922, Page 6

THE RAILWAY BLOCK.

DIFFICULTIES TO TRADERS. If the Wlienuakura bridge is not speedily repaired Taranaki people are gofhg to be seriously inconvenienced, and already the effects are proving very unpleasant (says the Hawera Star). There is practically no coal in the town, and supplies cannot be replenished till the bridge is again ready for traffic. It was stated by a coal merchant on Saturday morning that owing to the holidays coal deliveries were held up, and, as it takes five days for coal to reach Hawera from Huntly, all the coal ordered since the holidays is on the other side of the Wlienuakura. Carriers are also affected, and, since no goods are arriving, there is little work for them to do. The feeling .is that the situation is being taken rather lightly and that strong representations should be made with a view to having the railway connection restored as speedily as possible.

In conversation with a firm which was expecting to handle large quantities of fruit, it was learned that if there is a lengthy delay in repairing the bridge it may have a serious effect upon the trade. A great deal of fruit is expected to be ready at any time now in the Hawke’s Bay district, and those who are looking forward to securing supplies for jam-mak-ing may find that the market here will not be able to obtain full supplies owing to the interruption on the railway line. ' VIGILANCE OF ENGINE MEN. In its report of the Whenuakura bridge washout the Pate a Press pays a welldeserved tribute to the vigilance of the engine men on the early train from Wanganui: The first intimation that the authorities had of the mishap was when the 4.40 a.m. goods train from Wanganui on Thursday morning returned to the Whenuakura station and reported the condition of affairs with regard to the bridge. The train had a somewhat miraculous escape, as the approach to the bridge is on the down grade and there is a curve in the line which prevents the bridge being seen until the train is within a few yards of it. Fortunately both the engne-driver and guard were keeping a sharp lookout, with the result that the condition of the bridge was noticed in time and the train pulled up practically on the bridge, the southern end of which was intact. Had it been winter time, when the train would have reached the bridge in the dark, a catastrophe would undoubtedly have occurred.