SERIOUS BLOCKAGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1940, Page 7

SERIOUS BLOCKAGES

COMMUNICATIONS WITH WEST COAST MIDLAND RAILWAY IMPASSABLE. EXTENSIVE SLIPS & WASHOUTS. (By Telegraph—Press Asociation.) GREYMOUTH, March 1. There was drizzling rain with an overcast sky today, but conditions were much improved and a start has been made with the work of clearing blocked roads and railways, while the townspeople were busily engaged in restoring order to their business premises and homes, replacing carpets, linoleums and stock to their former levels, following Thursday’s flood. The only outlet from the West Coast today was via Nelson or Blenheim. There is a possibility that both the Lewis Pass and Otira Gorge routes will be blocked for some considerable, time. It is estimated that the Otira Gorge is likely to be closed, for three weeks and Lewis Pass for an even more indefinite period. There is no hope of the Midland railway between the West Coast and Canterbury being re-opened till some time next week because of the extensive slips and washouts and further subsidence near Kaimata. It would be difficult to estimate the cost of repairing all the damage, but it will run into many thousands of pounds. The damage in the Grey County Council area alone runs into approximately £20,000, and an appeal is being made to the Government for assistance. The Public Works Department also is faced with a big outlay. Stock losses throughout the West Coast are stated to run into many thousands of pounds. The flooding in Greymouth caused faults in the cables and for a period 450 telephones were thrown out of order.

A large number of visitors are isolated on the West Coast and there are many West Coast people visiting Wellington at present for the Exhibition. A service plane will make two trips to Nelson tomorrow and a special plane will leave Greymouth tomorrow afternoon for Christchurch with four passengers. The Reefton line was reopened to normal traffic this afternoon and it is hoped to have the Midland line cleared through to Jackson’s tomorrow night, but the major slips between there and Otira are real problems. If road communication can be restored on the Otira Gorge-West Coast route, trains will run as far as Jackson’s, and passengers will be conveyed to Otira by buses. The Railway Department is fully awake to the seriousness of the position, and is making every effort to renew communication. Transhipments are not possible because an extensive slip nearer Otira left a gap of 12 miles in the railway communication. One of the major problems on the Otira Road route is the restoration of the bridge washed away at Rocky Point, and the Public Works Department has arrangements in hand for its replacement at the earliest possible moment.

Meanwhile the Paparoa and Blackball coalmines will be idle through lack of rail facilities for forwarding the coal. A stoppage at these mines was inevitable in any case for a period because of the blockages on the Midland line, but it is apparent that, even after that line is cleared, the Blackball bridge is likely to be still unsafe for traffic.