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THAWING OUT.

SNOW DISAPPEARING,

MOVING SHEEP TO THE

PLAINS,

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

Dr. C. J. Reakes, Director-General of Agriculture, returned from the south yesterday, and remains in Christchurch for a day or two to make similar arrangements to .tlioso now in operation in South Canterbury, for relieving sheep in tho snow. ' The Railway authorities at Timaru, Dr. Reakes says, have provided a good supply of trucks, and largo numbois of siieep have been railed down from tho Fairlie district to farms in tho Timaru district, and as far south as Makikihi. 'Iho stock agents have had no ditiiculty, so far, in securing grazing for all the sheep that have come down. An officer of tho Livo Stock Division is working at Timaru, in co-operation with anothor at the Fairlie eud, in making arrangements for trucking the sheep. Some of the shoop Dr. Reakes saw arriving by train at Timaru, though showing a want of food, woro otherwise in good order. Dt. Reakes will confer with Mr McKenzie, of tho local branch of the Stock Department, and with a view to making similar arrangements to those in South Canterbury for getting out sheep by the branch railway lines in North Canterbury. It is hoped that conditions may not bo so bad as aro feared, but there is a considerablo amount of country on which it is impossible to" say how tho sheep can bo saved without serious loss.

EAST AND WEST COASTS,

COMMUNICATION RESTORED

Yesterday was a day of spccial gratification to Arthur's Pass, the terminus of tho railway line to tho Wost Coast, for, after having been isolated for ton days, communication was again restored from both tho Canterbury and the Coast side, tho "double ovent" being welcomed by residents at the Pass, and passengers from Christchurch and from Greymouth alike. It was last Saturday week that a passenger train last succeeded in getting through from Christchurch, tho previous best effort being to Springfield.

On Saturday a light train, carrying much-needed stores, managed to reach the terminus, and it was decided that an attempt to resume the usual passenger sorvico should be made yestorday. Over 100 passengers who had been impatiently awaiting the first opportunity to get over to the Coast decided to'make the journey, though the conch connexion to Otira was not guaranteed, and tho train proved that the confidence placed in it was not misplaced by getting through without delay. In fact, the onlv part of the journey that it found difficult to negotiate was nbout 150 yardt? frofrn the Arthur's Pass stntion, where tho inolino and the snow drift combined brought it to a temporary standstill, which was, however, overcomo in about five minutes. Those on hoard who had any eye for the beauties of Nat.uro are not'likely to forgot the trip. It is one the like of which has not been witnessed before in tho memory of tho "oldest inhabitant," and one which is not likeiy to occur again for many a long day to come. Snow was not met with till passing Kirweo, but from there onwards tho landscape was ,one beautiful panorama of glistening white. Dariield, Sheffield. Springfield, Racecourse Hill, Kowai Bush, all were inches deep in snow, but the really spectacular beauty began to manifest itself when the train got in amongst tho hills, from Otarama onwards. In the region of Staircase it was truly magnificent in its grandeur. One seemed to be locked in by a complete circle of stately snow-clad mountains, which, with the sun shining brightly on them, sqemed to be covered with myriads of sparkling diamonds, whilo far below, like a broad stream of silver, tho Wainiakariri pursued its tortuous way between frozen bankß. Tho sight was one not readily to be forgotten. As one passed through and by and amongst scintillating mountains, with more of their noble-looking brethren for a background, and here and there a towering monster clad to the summit in bush which looked as though a gigantic packet of icing sugar had been burst above it, and allowed to trickle down, ono could not help thinking that thero was no need to go to Switzerland for mountain scenery. One need go no further than Canterbury, and Canterbury is not by any means remarkable as containing somo of New Zealand's best beauty spots. Arrived safely at Arthur's Pass, tho passenger's one anxiety was whether or not the coaches would be able to get through from Otira. If they could notdo so, then tho travellers' outlook was black, for the Pass boasts of no accommodation, and there would Jhave been nothing else for it but to get back into the train and return to Christchureh. Many were tha anxious glances cast along tho road —or where the road was before the storm, hut no sign of a coach could bo seen. The invigorating mountain air suggested dinner, and when that was over, something moving : could just be discerned in the distance. A few minutes later, and all fears were dispelled, for no fewer than nine coaches quickly came jnto view. As folk had been waiting in Christchureh to get through to the Coast, so those on the Coast frad been equally anxious ' to get hero, with thotresult that 110 passengers made the trip from Otira. Thero were, naturally, mutual congratulations between the two bands of passengers. Those from the Const had ] to answer questions as to the safety of 1 the road, while the erstwhile train travellers were anxiously asked whether 1 there were any slip 3 on the line stiffi- ] e'ently serious to hold un the train. Everything, however, was "found mutu- ' ally satisfactory, and before long tho 1 two parties wero off on their respective ( ways. The train arrived in Christchurch £ just half nn hour Into. J Tho trip from the Coast, it transpired J from this© who had come that woy, had -* been much more devoid of inc : dent than had been ©xpectcd. A v light coach J without passengers had made a trial * trip through the gorge tho previous ' day, and as a remit it was decided thit I matters were safe enoupli to attempt -* the resumntion of the u-ual service yes- 8 terday. Pract'cally no 6now was met c wilh on tho Otira side of tho gorgo, r though heavy rain was falling. However. there was snow and to spare on the Canterbury side. In fact it was 8 Falling fairlv heavily for part of tho 1 way. The depth of tho drifts and the ® [aver on the ground made it impossible for the horses to proceed at more than v walking pace, and the passengers t themselves hnd to walk considerably 0 nore than half the d'stance. However, t the exertion stimulated their circula- n ;ion, which -would have come practically o :o a standstill in the oold, cutting wind si f they hnd remained on tho coaches, n ind they also obtained much amusement H Tom snowballing. The horses, by tho f< vay. showed very distinct signs of hav- v ng broken through tho crust at ncariy o: ivery stop. and_ there were many raw b >atcnes on their legs in consequence. C( Jowererj the journey, oven in the mostjj w

difficult places, -was covored without) mishap, and it is not considered that there vill be any moro interruption j» the service.

The arrival of both train and ooacK were especially welcomo, as the Pass had been quito without mails. There had been no break in the telographio com. munication with the Coast, but a bio break below Sheffield had put tho wires to Christchurch out of action for several days though the trouble has' now b«A» rectified. The train, too, was do® welcome, owing to tho supplies ft brought with it. Food was running very low at the Pass, with the exception of tho railway refreshment rooms which wero fortunatoly well stocked. Bread proved particularly welcome. H was further down the line, however, that the pinch of want was most keenly fel tj The Cass, Cora Lynn, Craigieburn and m fact, all tho small places on the line from Springfield onwards had been running very short of supplies indeed though tho "trial" train which went through on Saturday brought re-

The most harrowing experiences ofl a.l, however woro those of the men a! the new Broken River mine at Avoca which lias been producing coal for abonfc a month. As tho camp is quito a new one, no. provision had been made for tho storing of any quantity of food and t.io result was that since the becinninv of .last week the 00 odd men had K living on potatoes, onions, and tor." ridge, al. in meagre quantities. "Shackle. ton wasn't in it," remarked a £ when describing tho journey of a nartv from Avoca to the mine Ug and a m, . lcs awn J' ovor the sheep belt in an endeavour to take eome of poor rations to their mates, snowed in at the mine. Tho only means of was a narrow bridle-path, with a sheer drop on tho sido, and the difficulties of the passage may bo imagined when it is stated that tho three miles and a fcnS occupied nine hours, during which on! horse fell over the side. Kl , the mine are badly off for food /m chewing potato peelings witii wliX Luckily the mon had plenty of heatim* or their plight would have been times worse At nresent Ss per K airsufsjsafr.stsl tion at receiving supplies, though as vet meat. mmly ° f breod fi£d

vr? f n-w rS +ii S qui t° im Possible to pay jet what tho loss of 6tock is coini? tn Muntrvkf t L ° ShOGp in the acoese iblo country have been recovered, but ifc '» feared that th 0 losses in v.;X country will b° ve?T h^,%Sl Sdf V 8"- t? u» p SS , l ; i *~ Fanners, however, aDDear tn think that beyond the losses of stock FVp,tl r i m Wlll bo done fa y tho snow. L\ errono also appears to agreo that ti mUB i- fol Lr th * thaw.^icK already noticoablj commencing. SOLDIER SETTLERS SUFFER,

Tho heavy fall of snow in Canterbury has losuiieu m Heavy financial loss to many sneep-iarineis, tno oxient of wiitcu canuut yet Oo definitely ascertain. f« t .° U . £ U1 "cumny regieiLao.e caao taat ot tij e returned Soulier settieis in -L-ees Valivy. Tzio iand wnicn taw now occupy was ono ot tne nrst lanto areas in canterbury offered by tue uovermnont tor section by returned aud amoi tua successful ap« vi piicants were Messrs I>uckwort£ ? A.i n> *Vancis, uultey. and l> Mauey. Xne Jand was taken un 'n ifebruaiy, 1917, and the men had : ono good season. Given normal conditions, they would all probably have ' been 'on tneir feet" tnis year, but tAo snowstorm came, and tneir fortunes nave doubtless experienced a very unpleasant reverse. Tiio settlers iiad an average of about 2500 Bheep, and 6Q /lead of cattlo oach. lue blocks, which ran go from 2484 to 3935 acres and lie rrorn 4i to 17 miles by uniom'ed roads ■ from Oxfordi, are at an altitude of from • 1 idoO to 3300 feet.

liio New Zealand Farmers' Co-opora- > tivo Association made an attempt to got storos through to tho men towards tho end of last week, but it had to be abandoned. However, by Sunday most of the sottlers had reached Oxford leaving only Mr Starky and a boy on the' settlement. Being returned men, they were nothing daunted by the unexpected blow to their, fortunes, and set to VKirk practising on a pair of skis with the object of getting back to their ' farms with provisions, etc. Thoy nad , four or fivo other sets of skis made, and so_ quickly did they acquire skill in using them that thoy announced their intention of starting on their return journey yesterday. They expect to take two days on the trip, and have •iu ll I 1". em two carrier pigeons - with which to make those interested at Oxford aware of their progress. In view of the misfortune suffered °y the soldier settlers, it is anticipated that the Government, when the extent of their loss is finally asoertained, will do something to assist them.

IN THE COUNTRY. Farmers present at tho Rangiora stock sale yesterday were of tho opinion that tJie recent snowstorm was tiie worst experienced in North Canterbury. Mono approached could give ail estimate of the stock losses, tho snow still being too deep to enable many oftiicm to got over tuoir holdings. At Haidon Pastures, lour miles from Hororata, an exceptionally heavy frost was experienced last Tiiursday. Indoors, eggs wore cracked, meat and milk frozen solid, and water froee on crockery immediately after it had' been taken from tho wasning up basin. Tiie water supply was dislocated, and snow had to bo melted for all household purposes. A pick-axe hart to be used to break tho snow into suitable lumps before it could bo got into the kettle. Although signs of tho recent snowstorm can be seen everywhere, thero is actually little or no snow left in Ambcrley except in sheltered places, or ivhero drifts have formed. Tho telephone wires are still down. In several places whero it was thought there would m serious losses of stock it now transpires that littlo or no loss occurred. The rainfall registered from June 80th to July 2nd totalled 620 points. Tho recent snowstorm and rain was iho heaviest ever experienced in Cheviot. Tho rain followed immediately on /he snow and thawed it, so thero will be no losses of stock. The country tovards Grcenhills and Kaikoura is still indcr a white mantlo, and no doubt osses will occur. The roads in tho Jiieviot district did not suffer very nuch. The most serious washout ocmrred near tho Hurunui traffic bridge, i gully about 15 feet deep and 30 feet ricio being scoured out. A temporary iridgc is being constructed. Tho nridgu tuilt over the stream known as tho 'Littlo Greta," nearest Tipapa, colapscd, whilst the road through tho rreta creeks from the Stonyhurst iridgo to Foster's cutting, has disapicarcd. There was four feet of snow at lawkswood, but no severo losses of tock aro anticipated. As the snow is lisappearing gradually, tho river will ot come doivn a banker. Writing on Sunday, our Hanmcr Springs correspondent says tho heaviest nowfall that has ever taken placo in ianmor Springs arrived on Monday ight last. Snow had fallen during unday night, and on Monday thej« as about nino inches. It looked a 6 if bero would bo no more snow, and veryone retired on Monday thinking !ie snow was ''lovely." On Tuesday lorning great was tho surprise of peryone to find 34 feet or more of iow, and the township cut off from tho ;st of the country. Heads of estabshmonts made an inspection of tho >od supply. In some cases this was ;ry unsatifactory, and a raid was made i tho local store, only to find that utter was in limited supply and or >al there was none. Every business as disorganised on the Tuesday, b * ltl

Uo soldiers and civilians soon ha< jracks cut in al] directions; in fact th< township was like a maze and the pe destriau almost needed a guide. 'ihi driver of the motor-car rode througl to Culverden with the mail on Wedncs ( j a y i and reachcd there that cvcninj absolutely exhausted. On Thursday Mockett, the proprietor of thi jnotor service, walked through fron Culverden with the mail. A good dea of damage has been done to verandahs chimneys, etc. In most instances al the guttering is torn off the houses jho verandah at J. Dodd's stoic col lapsed and looks as if it had beei ahellcd. The local milk vendor has hn( to discontinue business, and the absents of milk is much felt. No one likes t* think of the largo flocks of sheei and the herds of cattle buried undei many feet of snow. Many deeds havi been done that require strength ani •vrill power. The electrician accom panicd bv an orderly from the Queei Mnrv Hospital, went to the rcservoi: on lionday night, a distance of 34 mile up*a rough valley, to see to the wato: fiupplv. Th" supply had failed abou 8 o'clock nnd the hospital and all th< places lighted by electricity wen plunged into darkness. The wrathei was so l>ad that they were compelled t< stay all night in a tin shed with no fin or food and in the early morning thej had to their wnv back tnrougl 4ft of snow. Captain Clifton organisec a shovel party, which had cleared abouono milo of the way when the adven turous couplo turned up If the watc: supplv had not been attended to the whole" township as well as the hospita would have "been in a predicament. f thaw has set in which has corsiderablj lowered the snow, but it will l>? a goat whilo before any traffic can go through. The loss of the daily raP" 1 is much felt, and it is hoped to got s temporary mail sorvico running soon. THE SNOW-FED RIVERS. TO XttK SUITOR OK "THK rHES* " Sir —I think Mr Brittan is quite cor rect 'in assuming that although oh< main Canterbury rivers to wit: Waiau ua (100 miles in length), Hurunui .8. miles) Wairaakariri (DO miles), Rafeau (83 miles), Ashburton (64 miles; Kangitata (74 miles), and the \\aitak (with its main feeders 140 miles), are practically snow-fed, are only great!: influenced to Hooding from abnorma rainfall. Snowfalls in tho coldei months of the year but slightly affeel the volume of these rivers. The ram fall up to 3 or 4 inches—3o3 to 40-; tons of water per acre—is spoednj tnkou up by tho river channels on th( surface, and probably the largest quantity finds its way to tho outlet oi the rivers and the sea through th< extensive shingie beds. It has beer contended that Christchurch. for m stance, has nearly spoiled the floods oi the Ashley and Waimakariri by druiK ing up tno water from the artesiat basin undor the city. Henco th« flood waters are not backed up in higi country so as to contribute to the flooding of the surface. Again, _ fro it the once dangerous rivers mentioned by water-races from them a million arc a half acres are watered, distributing from the Ashley 27 million gallons an- , nually, from the Selwyn 90,940,961 gallons, from the Ashburton 86 million gallons, Geraldine 29,520,000 gallons, Levels 6,480,000 gallons, Mackenzie 7,516,800 gallons, and Waimate 8,500,000 gallons. Beyond this given a few days' lull after a rainstorm, and try to estimate the rapid evaporation on a water-logged field. This, with absorption going into 2 lower stratum, shows that many causes combine to reducc the value of anj opinions of those in high country whe have three or four feet of snow, whe announce through the newspapers thai they pity the poor beggars on tht Plains or on the river courses whet the snow melts. There is too mud snow upon the back ranges to permil of the wind from the north-west causing a too rapid melting of snow, such as would send torrents of water from tho eastern slopes towards the rivers. To the present since tho year came In thero have been no abnormal falls, but on the other hand we havJ heard of farmers - putting wells down deeper, and tho Christchurch -water supply not being as strong as it might be. "While Nature is able to sop. up the water to supply those cisterns, tho melting snow is doing some good and not likely to cause much damage to those who have suffered from excessive rainfall pure and simple.—Yours, etc., TERRAQUEOUS. July 9th, 1918.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19180710.2.32

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16260, 10 July 1918, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
3,297

THAWING OUT. Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16260, 10 July 1918, Page 6

THAWING OUT. Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16260, 10 July 1918, Page 6

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