SUNSHINE AND RAIN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1773, 11 June 1913, Page 9

SUNSHINE AND RAIN.

a wi.vmi pictuee, "Nelson had scvon and a half hours' suushino yesterday—u typical lultl-winler day," noted llic l'less Association telegram uncut 11.M.5. Now Zealand's call there. Otaki is n compeer of Nelson; its weather report is invariably a brief, but emphatic, ".Sunshine." \\';4li'ii<:tonians do not bras a monopoly of all the good things in tho way of weather; their city has some meteorolosical features of its own, though—peculiarly distinctive, tho visitor inatlienmtisos them. The true-born reply that thero is 110 more beautiful weather anywhere in the world than favours Wellington occasionally, and so let it stand nt that. ]lowbeit, tiiese short winter days citizens nnd visitors are experiencing some hours of bracing blue brightness, and yesterday was ono of tho dates for such a bjskins. The Oriental Bay foreshore is the most popular city haunt for seekers after sunshine, and here, during our allotted tempting azure hours, promennders dawdle along; tho seats are occupied tete-a-tetos a fisherman is casting from an outlying rock;. there are some sketcliers 'of the julting headlands and restless sea. in which on the chilliest day even children are paddling. Yesterday afternoon saw such a scene. Tho idling ones found the wind a littlo biting, but the sky was unclouded, nnd across tho city view a dinghy with Ijellyinj»\mil scudded over tho clear-crested dancing waves; a small collier lav stationary in the' fairway, and a Union Steam' Ship Company ferrv boot wa3 slowly circling to n new berthage. Gradually, and with ominou= steadiness, a Mack cloud loomed up over tho southern hills. It spread along the hilltops; an enveloping mist closed over tho busy city, nut of which the clang of work resounded. Tho sea tcok on a sullen hue, and down mid-harbour spindrift was driving away the sun-glints," wh'Mi fleetingly retreated northwards. Gloom scon held tho stage; its leading actor. Boreas, took un ilia nlay, and centred on tho littlo dingliy. Ho ripped the sail from it? lashings; sterner p'tfts heeled the craft over; qn'd with loudlv-flapping canvas she was running for shelter. Patter came the vain, and tlio snn worshippers foregathered in tlio tramway w,iitin?-shed; artists and their naraplievnalia; fisherman and dripping lines; and small 1-ws who chanted "A Life on tho Ocean Wave." In the gathering winter picture tho drab dredge poked her noso round tho corner, and swan-like drovo homewards against the drizzle.; "It is indeed cold," said a lady to her escort. "A little," said the gentleman, "but I'v.o just returned from south, and it's not so cold hero as it is at Ttivercargill." £o if we don't .got so much sunshimnas Nelson and Otaki, let us bo happy in tlio thought that we nre not so cold and bleak as they are at Invercargill.