THE WEATHER.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16258, 8 July 1918, Page 6

THE WEATHER.

CONDITIONS BECOMING NORMAL THAW CLEARING SNOW. The weather on Saturday an 3 yesterday was in strong contrast to that of the days previous, and, so far as city conditions went, everything was very pleasant, tho sunshino being warm, and the streets dry. The riso in tho temperature has clearing a good deal of tho snow about Dariield and Kirwco, and districts about the same distance from tho-foothills, but further west it is still lying thickly on tho ground, thero being, for instance, a good foot on nn average, at Coalgate LAKE COLERIDGE REACHED. Mr L. Birks, speaking to a- reporter last night, regarding tho Lake Coleridgo situation, said that the south transmission line is carrying tho power {r»r the city in a satisfactory m-annco-, and tho line staff will now get on with repairs to the north transmission line as quickly as possible. Under the difficult conditions in which they have to work it will bo some little timo before permanent repairs tro made over the whole of tho system. Everything at the Lako itself is nil right. Mr Birks was up at Coalgato on Saturday, and, with Mr Ivirby's party, inspected tho north line from Coalgate to Glentunnel, cleared all the faults, and made the line ready for testing, which test was carried out satisfactorily last night. Messrs Blackwood, Swainey, and Peach, who left Coalgate on Saturday night, got through to the Lake yesterday. Messrs Hay ton and Edgier, who left Hororata on Saturday for the lako, with a good load of stores for those residing at the power-station, have also got through without mishap. The "going" is said to be considerably better on the Lake route now, though there is little appreciable difference in the depth of tho snow, which shows that there has been little thaw to speak of in the backcountry. Men from tho back, with whom Mi Birks got into touch, state that little is definitely known regarding tho condition of the sheep. The stock that have been located so far are all alive yet, and, if the snow clears to any extent within a few days, tho losses should not bo very bad. RAILWAYS ALMOST NORMAL. The Traffic Department of the Railways states that tho train service on Saturday was almost normal, tho only terminus which had not been reached by passenger train.being Arthur's Pass from Springfield. A work train got through on Saturday, and back again, and tho same journey was satisfactorily made yesterday. It is proposed to send tho ordinary passenger express through to the West Coast to-morrow, and, if this can bo dono, tlio Departmont will Do able to say "business as usual," eo far as Canterbury is concerned. TELEGRAPHIC CONDITIONS UNCHANGED. Tliere is no change to report in the condition of the telegrnphic communication with the North Island. Two "quads" aro availabto via. tho West Coast, and it's expected that one wire will bo available on tho Eastorn side, through Cheviot and Kaikoura, to-day. Repairs of a temporary charactcr aro being made as quickly as possible, but it is' stated that it will bo a long time before the whole of tho breakdowns on tho East Coast lines aro permanently restored. ' UNDERGROUND CABLES. Tho "hold-up'' of tho Lake Coleridge power has caused a good many amateur electricians to ask "why tho cables wcro not laid underground from the power station, and then all this trouble would not have occurred?" One of tho Public Works staff stated to a "Press" representative yesterday that tho answer to the question was simple, and was as follows: While it would not be an impossibility to lay underground cables, yet the cost would be so enormous that it would mako the wholo schemo absolutely prohibitive from a practical r>oint of view. A cable canying CG,OOO volts would cost such a huge amount of money to manufacture that it would kill any "cheap electricity" scheme outright, and even when it was made, it could not bo absolutely depended on. The current from tho Lake is broken •down to 11,000 .volts, and distributed about the city by underground cables, and these arc not absolutely faultless. When trouble does occur, it takes some timo to find out its locality, and a good deal moro to resurrect the cable and lay it again. A minor fault that could •■be repaired in a_ day on the overhead cablo, might easily take a week with an underground cable. SLEDGES TO THE LAKE. Referring to tho question of sledging to tho Lake, Air Birks told a reporter last night that thero still might be occasion to use the motor loan of which had been asked ior—as there was plenty of snow still to 'contend with. With regard to the "aero-sledgo" which has boon constructed at the Canterbury Aviation Company's workshops •at Sockburn, it does not appear that tho scheme will bo practicable. Mr Mackny has constructed tho sledge, which consists of a very light body on two broad runners, the motive power being a 45 h.p. Anzani aeroplane engine with propeller, and, on Saturday evening, the apparatus was given a "tryout" on tho level ground at Sockburn. It was not successful. Thero seems to be little reason to doubt that it would act reasonably woll on level snow, but it also appears improbable that the sledze would negotiate anything lilfe an upgrade, with a load. It is practically certain that this scheme will be abandoned. IN AMURI DISTRICT, The snowfall on the Amuri plains which averaged from 20 inches to 2 feet on Tuesday last, had shrunk to about 12 inches by Saturday afternoon. Until Saturday not a patch of clear ground was visible on the surrounding hills but the steep slopes with a warm asP^ c t are now rapidly clearing under tbn i ISuences of the sun and mild temperature of the last two days. It will take another week under the most favourable conditions before the flat ground will be sufficiently clear of snow to allow sheep to get d bite, meanwhile tney are having a verv thin timo, as very few farmers in this district hive anything more than straw to give them. - ihe losses of sheep on the hill country between Amuri and Cheviot will probibly not be heavy, but thev can scarcely fail to be verv serious over a extent of hill country all along the front of the western ranges. As far as can be gathered tho same conditions exist right through Highfield to the Kaikouras. The hills on the "Waikari side of the Pass • a smooth coating of several inches, but on the Waipora slopes the snow is rapidly disappearing, and stock will from now have plenty of, clear ground for grazing. Although eriuaJlv henvv falls have occurred periodically a Jong the rrain range and northern back country, there is «o doubt whatever that the rresent J visitation is the heaviest for half a century on what is usually regarded on safe country from Mt. Grev northwards to the Conway river. * As to what the conditions aro further northwards, very little information is avail-1 able. I

FKOM ASHLEY GORGE. A TRYING JOURNEY. \ Four of the five men engaged on road works in the Ashlov Gorge undcJ construction by the Public Works Department, reached Oxford on Friday nighc after trudging for twelve miles through snow that was lving four feet deep. They reached town on Satur* day. They accomplished the journev in their ordinary clothes. One of the party, who is sixty years of age, finish, ed up hale and hearty and showing f ew signs of the strenuous times « perienced. There is another Publio Works gang working on the road an the Lees Valley and beyond the works on which theso four men wore em. ployed. No news has been received regarding them, and it is not known what has happened to them. No anxiety is felt as to their running short of stores, but they liavo a number of horses with them, and it is probab'o that the animals are short of fooi Thero is some possibility that the men - will endeavour to get the horses to Oxford ovor the Blow Hard. THE KAIKOFRA ROAD. Mr J. MeEnnis, resident engineer Public Works Department, informed a reporter on Saturday that thero or# eighteen inches of snow on tho Kafc. koura-Parnnssus road, and that latest reports were that it had become frozen and rot passable by vehicular traffic. A 1 few slips lrnvo occurred and a faw washouts, but nothing of a serious character. Unless a. strong ihaw sots in, Sir Ennis estimates that ordinary vehicular communication by road between Kaibourn and Parnassus will be held m> for about a week. DAMAGE AT WAIKARI. News regarding tho effect of Tue.v rlay s snowstorm is beginning to come to hand. Considerable damage has been dono to buildings, several liavinc collapsod The best part of tho roof 0 f Mr W. W. Mcßae 8 wool shed fell in, as did that or Mr Cravthorne's. One of the new bridges at the Mid Greta was badly damaged and also part of tho roadway washed away. A small bridge about three miles on the Ohoviot side ot the Motunau post offioo was badly damaged, making the road unsafe for wheel traffic. Chi Friday tho sheep wore much moro eomfortablo, and thoso in tho vicinity of the township were oub of danger. The hard frost on Friday morning enabled the m to bo moved where tliey could be fed. Up till Friday no news had come in from tho back country, but the loss of stock; must be ejeat. A light nor -wester was there Mowing, nnd the snow was thawing quickly. It was expected that the Rail, way Department would have a telephono oonnexion . with Waipara eomtf timo on Friday night. WORST SNOWFALL SINCE 1867 Sir C. Dilworth Fox, who owns Foxtown in the Waikari valley, informed a reporter on Saturday that his manager, , Stackwood, was able to tsett Ji rough on -Thursday, • and reported that on the flat near the house thera hWn ? et n 6now > trOM had f>eon 1,1 j•? ??' n all over tJl ° place, but luckily, the stock had been got down ' fell 0 Mr F tW ° t ys bcf , ore Ul ° snow f® 11 - . ,Ll OX '. , who settled at Foxm + ' | ai( * l'o could not re™Ll BU, r m - a . n y t,lln e like tho samo ' f ji! y t ' , o past 40 years. He lar at in J* 67 a «"«- - Mr nnd boon experienced, and : Mr Moore, of Glenmark, had lost verv manyjW Prom irlut Mr sXH J the snowstorm of last week was just as ■ tiibedVhta"^ 67 ** | NOU'-WBSTER DUB. J FLOODS MAY result. I F 'i ce y> officer in charge of I the Meteorologicul Observatory, Christ- Si chuich, informed a "Press'' represfentativo on Saturday, that a nor'-wester - n° i ,n CaHierbury which would .. veiv likely thaw the snow and eauso • floods. Wo might, however, receive °J tho nor'-wester's approach. On Saturday and yesterday the prevail- 1 mg wind in Christchurch was a verv C' I ght nor-©aster, but the wind changed * towards the south early this morning. CONDITIONS AT ASHBURTON. A stiff nor'-west breeze prevailed at Ashburton during Friday night, and there was a rapid thaw. It commenced to freeze about six o'clock on Saturday morning, >-.nd at nine o'clock seven de- • §rL W *i reglstfired .' Tho weather durmtg the remainder of tha day was mild, with bright eunC^ USms a further me lt»ng of tho deep snow up country. weather during the day was mild, antf ' thero was a rapid thaw, which further > considerably reduced the great depth of snow still lying in all the uuper paits of tho Ashburton district. - IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. V V | (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEORAM.J . TIMARU, July 6. special stock trams are being ran o« t.he Fairlie branch line to bring sheep from the snowed-in country. ' A warm nor'-westor to-day caused some thaw. IN THE FBOZKN COUNTRY. ' LIFE AT COOPER'S CREEK. (from a special correspondent.) COOPER'S CREEK, Thursday, Wo are living in a white world of our own ; with no communication with the outside world; our one wire to Oxford Js down; this was discovered on Mommy morning, when an attempt was , made to ring up tho doctor. It was thought that as the_ caso was on extreme one, someone might cut a track through on horseback, and lead another horse on which to bring the doctor back. I shall attempt to give a description of our oxperionces, and of our beautiful whit© world, but a picture of the latter is indescribablo. Sunday afternoon it started to snow, not too heavily, but by tho time we rotired the , ground was white. But to our amazement. wo found on Monday morning that three feet of snow had fallen; it was still snowing, but heavily now. All I the day wo watchod it mounting higher ' and higher—the fences carried about < threo feet of snow in height, and quite six feet across—our hedges are macrocarpa, the widest I've ever seen. We could only get a peon of the surrounding country that day through the gateway, and that was very little, as tho mountains of snow on the hedges almost met, forming a rude archway over tho gate. I set to work with n shovol, first at the back door, and slowly cut a path to the shod and pump; I "brought in a few necessaries, such as several buckets pf coal (which were very necessary, as it iR bitterly cold), keroseno, wood, and potatoes. _ As I out, the snow was up to my waist. Then I started at the Front, end slowly made my wny witli . the shovel to the gate, and opened it so tb.it the gateway would not be entirely blocked. I took a peep out, no fences verevisible for miles and miles; nothing ?ould ho seen bnt the tops of trees as [ rn*ed across tho plains.. Later on, a le-'-ghbonr cnt a tmr-k up the ir : 'lrl!e of *o rnnd, ami brought us milk, and ilso breid. We. who are entirely de,enrloit on b"teborq ftT id ImVn-s from Dxford, fivo rnil"s distant, vrmld be in i sad way but for the kindness of leighbo'Ts who mok« their own broad, ft". That- nicht, Monday night, avnanches o? snow began to "slide off tho oof: first of all thnro would bo a ;wi?ting and wrenching, and then a ierrific # crash; we wero terrified the oof might give way, but, •

• there is a good slope. At in'or -la of ton minutes or so would como ' tprrifvin" noise of sliding snow; „,v ul 'wrenching, which was more rrifvinc than the crashes ot snow, r S tllo pipings: they are all n°J r O T OnSUday nignt, all day £T«rfav and all Tuesday night, these Ranches w.-r;< falling—consequently aV if little slcen. In fact, Tuesday wo wore too terrified to undress, , lay between tho blankets, trying , Stft a "little flecp. We were afraid •° n „ r fire out, in case the chimney lot blocked with snow. On WodnesI?I mornin" we found the snow had and the sky looked brighter; JUofnre' it had been ■ impossible to tell Sore tho snow ended and the sky bei« they were quite the same ffiir When we opened tho front i.' ea ns uoon heaps of snow blocked ffwavf it reaefcod all but a few inches to the roof of the porch. Our kind neighbour came down lator with the milk and a snow shovel, and cut a footing in the snow mountain were then able to climb up and got a view of the surrounding country; it was a strangely beautilul Light, and the sun, which had been invisible ior so lone looked simply lovely on tho huls. Later on we got, another path at the back and wore surprised to see one chimney lying down ou the roof, almost buried in'the avalanche which has yet to drop. Vt'e canuot see out of tho scullery window," as there is a'huge mountain of snow falling over, and almost mooting the other snow, which, on the level, is five foot deep. All along tho back whore the roof doos not slope so much, is snow ready to fall. Wo are most careul not to stand too near, as when it does drop, it could bury' one, or break one's neck. This morning (Thursday) I took somo snaps from our trench. To-day wo can see Mount Oxford and the hills from tho back; against tho blue sky thoy aro a gloriously lwautiful sight. Where all the snow is going to when it thaws Heaven only knows! It scorns to me utterly impossible for it nil to got away without flooding us out, but a noighbour assures us the streams will bo able to cope with it, but, "God help the poople lower down!" says he. Tho poor sheep aro all buried, but I hear they can livo somo time liko that; here and there aro to bo scon little streams of steam arising, which are from tho buried sheep's breath, which keeps the snow thawing, and enables it to broathe. Poor things! We are most anxious to hear news of three men who aro in the back country with only tents to livo in, and no fires. I beliovo there is no possible way of getting to them.

How thankful wo arc that we are still snJn and well, no ono knows. We havo had no nows of the outsido world since Saturday, but hopo to got somo war nows to-day, as I know of one man who is going to try to mako his way to Oxford on horseback to-day ; he has taken some letters to post with him. Although the sun is shining brightly, we are bitterly cold, and I can scarce writo; but what can one expect when we are practically buried in snow ?

Tiiursdny Night. This afternoon, after wrapping ourselves up well, wo ventured out to the track in the middle of the road. On all sides ono hears tales of distress. Just a few yards up tho road an old lady, who lives by horsclf. is in great distress. Her verandah nas fallen through and two back rooms have been wrenciied away from tho rest of the house by tho weight of snow, From another we hear that four draught horses are away, up the bush; each day men, with shovels, have tried to got to them, but in vain. The owner of the horsos has | managed to get only ICO sheep out — there are still 700 unaccounted for. Tltat is only ono caso out of many. Tho man who took our letters thiß morning has returned and papers. It took him four solid hours to got from here to Oxford, which would, under ordinary circumstances, havo taken only half-nn-hour. Reading of tho weather in "Tho Press," I notice that only 15 inches of snow are spokon of in Oxford, so I presume there is no communication between Oxford and Christchurch now. It is very strange to see riders pass single file down tho middle of the road; many with shovels, tcr cut a way to their stock. I fear there will bo great losses. It is predicted that the snow will not disappear for six or eight weeks, unless it rains. It is freezing hard again, to-night, as it did last night, so if that continues it will never thaw. The snow which is quite 5 feet in depth, is still on the back of our house; it will not fall to-night, as it is frozen. Tho iciclo3 hanging from the snow looked very pretty this morning; there will be more to-morrow. When the teacher will bo able to re-opon school is impossible to say, over 5 foot of snow form a smooth, white blanket all over the playground. Tho birds are so .tame, they come up close to the house to be fed, robins and wax-eyas principally; one little wax-eye came inside and lot us pick him up. Even the wild magpies driven from the bush come and sottle on the house, and come down for food. We have not any news yet of the men in the back. Such a atorm has not been known for nearly rixty years, and it yet romains to be seen what will happen when the snow thaws.