VENTER'S BITE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 7

VENTER'S BITE.

;'.'■■ ' '-* . ; HEAVY HAIL AND RAIN STORM. I, 'A VIOLENT SOUTHERLY GALE. ; : Winter descended oh Wellington, in '• grim eiimcst yesterday. . Tho cold ; : southerly ■of tho day before, freshened '■:' up duriug Thursday and ' tho dawn of yesterday broke, to tlio accom- : paniineiA of Jieavy rain, interspersed ■with occasional hail showers. Without ,• any abatement tho galo . continued '. throughput' tlio day. A particularly ..'.'heavy shower of hail fell just beforo midday, whitening tho city streets as though-light snow-had fallen. Hail also • fell at intervals throughout tlio afternoon, aaid at about 8 o'clock last oven- ,) ing hail stones as -largo a,s small marbles fell for a. few minutes with a tromeudbus clatter, compelling pedes- : - trians to Seek shelter in double-quick , 'tinio. i.lt'.b a very long time sii\co such large hail-stones have fallen in .Wellington/, .'ln sheltered places tlio hail : lay inches deep throughout tho day, and luminous patches of whito testified >. .to the low temperature oai Thursday- ; . night. ..' Snow fell heavily on the Bimu- \ taJai and Ranges during I the dajv; ■ ' ■ So-V far as the smrller vessels wera concerned, shipping was at a standstill ' in Wellington yesterdays From early ' Morning tho violent southerly gale and '. , .heavy showers of rain and hail niado it almostiinpossiblo to handle cargo. Tho > yassengor steamers all kept their' timetable running, and the Arawa was ablo i to leave; for Lyttolton during the afterBoon, but'riot "ono. of tho small-steam-. \ fers departed. " "-"• * Telegraphic'reports 'from'-all parts Of «ho West Coast. stated that tho bars were in.bad condition, and consequently 'arrivals at this port were, fow. . v The Mokoia, from the Islands, was expected'.:yesterday morning, but did not arrive in.tho stream until nearly .0 p.m., being probably delayed by the southerly. ... SNpW.AT RANGATAXJAI ;(By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent! ••.. / ''■< ' Rangata'U'a, Juno 17. ..' Rangar.aua was • surprised this morn-' •'. jng.on.the first peep of daylight by a soene of.pure white; tho ground being - covered with snow .to a depth of four ; inches. ; The trees looked quite pic- .-. t turesque;V the white., snow and black ' trunks bhd 'branches contrasting plea- •' - santly. Outbursts of laughter now and then during the day showed that tho • ' residents; were making pleasure of the '< ~ circumstiiiicos.' It has been snowing intermittently all day, and at i p.m. flix inches of -smra" was on the ground. ;.'."' GALE AT WANGANTJL : ■■(Bγ Telsgrapß.-Special Correspondent.) . ' . r Wanganui, June 17. ■ 'A howling southerly : gale, witli fre--

': . nuent rain' squalls, is being experienced here, and-tlie weather, is bitterly cold. < • ;■ MiiN trunk experiences. '; (By Tolegraph.-Spctial Correspondent.) ■ . Palmerston North, Juno 17. '• iTne weather was bitterly cold last : night'and'this morning. Snow fell to ',' a depth of three or four inches between }• Ohakuneand Waiouni, and there was ' a slight fall near Taihape. The Auck- ■ land-Wellington express - this' morning '■ .' passed through ' a severe snow-storm near Waiouru. .....:' . ■■'.' BITTERLY COLD.' \ (By Telegrapli-Prcss Association.) ■' : Eketahuna, June 17. The 'southerly g'ale has brought bit-. " teily cold air. Snow covers all of the- ... Jow hills as well as the ranges,-on which there 'is'-the. .first fall.of cousequoneo ■ for this'season. ! i'-i>»>—r« ! m<.s. FOOTBALL* POSTPONEMENT; . ;■■:■■ ... ,-.: Dunerfin, Juno 17-. Owing to the; rough weather, the Otago , Rugby Union has postponed all football 'matches, to-inorrow except first ' and second grade matches. .

, / SHIPPING DELAYED. 1 Cliristchiirch, Juno 17. . A gale from.-the south-west struck the city last night, bringing bitterly cold weather. , Shipping from the north ; was delayed, and the Mararoa did "not" . arrive at Lyttclton till one o'clock, missing tho connection with the second express. The Maitai had not put.in an appearance by 1 o'clock, and is probably, sheltering.'■' .. ■■ ■ . Three fishermen were out in a small boat ill the harbour' when the gale came up. The sails- : wero blown to ribbons, bi.d as the boat was'unmanageable she had to; remain out all night. This morning. the steamer Breeze towed her • in. ■■_;.;.• .-■•■■ HILLS COATED AVITH SNOW.. ... Dunetiin, June 17.. The weather has been very boisterous fluring the last two days. This morning exceptionally heavy; showers' fell .at frequent intervals, accompanied by a bitter wind. Tho hills surrounding the city are coated with snow.