THE SEVERE WINTER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1502, 26 July 1912, Page 6

THE SEVERE WINTER.

FURTHER REPORTS, SOME SLITS IN THE CITY, Another day of heavy drenching rain is assisting in tho establishment of a record rainfall for the month of July in Wellington. With very few intermissions of appreciable length, it has now been raining, or rather peltiug, for tho past fortnight, and the outlook is not tho least bit promising. A-shipmaster trading Qut ■of Wellington was heard to remark yestevday—"l've been knocking nbout this coast ■for about thirty'years, but I can't remember a longer spell of dirty weather than, we've had this month. It's enough to make a man look for a'shore job!" . The persistent rains aro beginning to have an effect on some of the abrupt cliff faces and cuttings so numerous in and about the city. <A big mass of earth tumbled down off the 1 face of the cliff nbovo Clyde Quay yesterday, and pretty well blocked up the yard of No. 94, the residence of Mr. J. Molicr, a two-sfory : wooden dwelling which extends back to within a. few yards of the foot of the high cliff which follows the trend of the Quay. Tho fall was from a point about hnlfway.up, but it has,removed a number of ehelves and hummocks of earth (rotten rock and clay) which lay on the face, and which has made tho cliff at that spot almost perpendicular and not at nil safelooking in this kind of -weather, in view of the lack of consistency in tho forma-- , tion thereabouts. The /precaution had been taken' by Mr. Jlolisr to board up the lower portion of tho ground floor windows in the back of his house, but that did not prevent a fragment of a boulder from 'breaking ono of the upper panes. Part of the slide lodged in the back yard of No. 92 next door, but as that is ' a small one-story '. house built well forward, the falling earth did- no appreciable damage beyond curtailing the. yard space., . Another slide of earth is reported from the cutting in Glenbcrvie Road (opposite Anderson • I'ark), tout as it falls on a deal , road no danger'can befall property in that thoroughfare..'There have also . been.a number of minor slips in different parts of the city. Late last right a slip occurred about 200 yards on the Karori side of the tunnel, nnd. 'delaypd the last two cars from' Ivarori. Tho debris was cleared away sufficiently' to en-able the cars to pas's. AUCKLAND'S COLDEST CAY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) • Auckland, July 25. The coldest, day of the winter was experienced at Auckland to-day. The warni, bright sunshine which prevailed during the earlier part of the, week, and Which seemed to herald the approach, of spring, yesterday gave'place to bleak, dull weather conditions, and, last evening, steady rain set in, and continued throughout the night.' To-day was even collier than yesterday. The maximum shade temperature recorded this, morning at Albert Park was 47 'degrees,, and the - minimum was 41 degrees, thus making the' mean temperature for the 24 hours U degrees.' This'-is , .two degrees lower than the pre-vious-coldest day of the year. Tho records further.indicate that the present winter has been windier, colder, and wetter than jras.'.th'd case during, the winter of 1911. .'southern- ocean storms.. ■ :. . ' , ...Auckland, July.2s. The.'Tyser- steamer Star of Scotland, frhich airrived'-frpm London via Australian ports, .this morning, had ; a most trying experience ■ while crossing the Southern ■ Ocean, towards Melbourne, necessitating her making a call at Albany for ah additional supply of. coal. The officers report that the storm, which -was raging in the Tas'man Sea,, has quite' abated, the passage from Sydney being made in ' fine weather. ----- -, \,j . ', OTHER DISTRICTS. (By Telesraph—Special Correspondent.) Feilding, July 25. I Communication with, the,Kangiwahia district is barred at the present tioie, the fall of snow preventing the coach from making the journey to Kimbolton. The weight of snow caused breaks in the telegraph wires atßarigiwahia and at Stanway, and the linesmen have been busy endeavouring to effect repairs. (By Telenrapli.— Press Association.) . '." .'Dunedin, July 25. Hard frosts are. being experienced throughout the province, especially in Central Otago, where they are very infcense. '■.'.-