SEVERE WEATHER IN THE SOUTH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 249, 9 July 1918, Page 6

SEVERE WEATHER IN THE SOUTH

)NLY TWO TELEGRAPH WIRES WORKING BOTH FROM WEST COAST Tho Telegraph Department notifies that inly two wires are available for Chrisldmrch and south. There will _bc leavy delay for traffic south of Kaicoura. Wast Coast, Blenhoiin, and Nelion lines are fairly normal. Interpreted, the above notice means lint there are only two working wires lonnecting Wellington with Ohristchureh md both are via the West Coast. There s still no conneotion between Kaikoura in'Marlborough) and Cnlverdon (in lorth Canterbury), where it is believed ;here are several breaks in the line, jangs of men have been working out ind along the line sineo Tuesday last, jut the conditions have been so severe md the breakages so many that they lave not beon able vet to make a through lonncction. A WONDERFUL SIGHT. Those who visited Inland Bay, the iastern side of Lyall Bay, or tho hillops surrounding the city on Sunday wero imply repaid by a gtorious view of the Kaikouras. In their mantle,of snow, vith the afternoon sun accentuating :heir whiteness, the towering range stood mt with particular clearness, appearing :o rise from the sea only five or six niles away.' There are many occasions vhen the bine loom of the mountains ire seen from vantage points around Welington, but very seldom is tho atmosphere so exceedingly clear and the 'high-light" effect so deceptive as was ;he case on Sunday. Passengers by insoming steamers also dilate upon the jeautiful sight these mountains have presented during the past week. SETTLERS SHORT OF PROVISIONS. Some of the inhabitants of Staircase ivere reported on Saturday to be right ou.t jf provisions, and further up at Cora Lynn and Arthur's lass the peoplo were in a grave situation, owing to tho line jeing blocked with ice. Some of the residents of Staircase managed to meet Friday's relief 1 train, where they obtained neat and bread, etc. The place most seriously affected through isolation was Avoca, where over sixty men are employed in working the :oal mine. Although there is a small store there, its otock could not last a week, and tho arrival of the relief tmui it that placo will be anxiously awaited. RAILWAY SERVICE RESTORED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Ohristchureh, July 8. The railway fervice throughout Canterbury has been restored to its normal condition. The West Coast train is expected to leave to-morrow, but there is no guarantee that the coach service from Otiru to Arthur's Pass will be able to provide tho connecting link. An officer 3t tho Railway Department said to-day that tho interruption caused by the rejent storm was the worst experienced in the history of the New Zealand railways. [The General Post Office advised last svening that tho route between Otira and Arthur's Pass was clear, and that the coach service would be resumed to-day.J MMMUNICATIoiTwiTHLAIvBCOLERIDGE ESTABLISHED. ' Ohristchureh, July 8. Communication with Lako Coleridge has now been established a party gottng ha-ough vesterday. The North hue was horoughiy tested and all faults cleared, ~d the current turned on last night. •he city is therefore now icceiving elcctet current from both lines, bu permanent repairs to the system will oocupy some lime. E&ST COAST TELEGRAPH LINES. '. By Tclcgraph-Prcss Association. Ohristchureh, July 8. 'The Telegraph Department reports that the lines on tho East Coast rojjto ve still interrupted, but that it .is hopeu communication will bo ,ft»W»hed today via Cheviot, which alternativowtfto will bo used as a' contingency against a breakdown on the-main route, . RESCUIN6TH? SHEEP ASSISTANCE PROMISED BY THE GOVERNMENT '. By Telegraph-Press Association. Ohristchureh, July 8. The National Efficiency Commissioner 'or Canterbury (Mr. J. A. Froshek) has Son up the question of rendering assistance to farmers whose stock have '/eeri endangered or lost as the resrit oi ■he recent snow storm. Mr. 1 ™ states that everything possible « lone by the National Efficiency Boaid md the Government to save the stock, r where that is impossible, to. save the Em and the wool. The various couinittees of advice have been called on or help, and the Government has pionised to release from camp or anywhere jlse men accustomed to working in snow, tfr. Froslick says that despite this it is -ertain the losses will be severe. Advices revived this afternoon from Lako Coleridge are to the effect that the osses of stock in that regioirare gratiiyin»ly small, in fact, olmost nil. It s probable that tho number of sheep that are out in the snow in the affected listricts is somewhat difficult to estimate, jut it is safe to say that from Marlborimgh down to the Kaitaki River thero ire quite two million sheep that are aiore or less snowbound. Tins includes sheep on the low country which can lie Moved with more or less difficulty. TRUCKING SHEEP FEOM SNOWCOVERED COUNTRY. Timaru, July 8. Yesterday 121 trucks of sheep from the snow-covered Mackcnzio Country were railed from Fairhe, and 100 trucks will be brought in to-day. A SKI JOURNEY OVER THE SNOW TO LAKE COLEELUGE. The wheels of industrial Christchuich revolve again to-day (says Saturdays Christchurch "Sun') because Boris.Daniels, a young Russian, of inodium heiglu but stout heart, launched himself out on the great white waste to got a messa ß e through to Colerid,;e-and succeeded. Mr Daniels, who is an employee of tho Public Works Department,.n-cnicm-bcral his earlier days on the snows o is own country when he came iorward v-itli air offer to make the attempt on skis. Inquiry discovered a pair or the now runners, and these were lent by \w T J Kinsey, on condition that the} would be taken great care of he renuest for care was duo to the tact that the sk s were the pair used by he ate Captain It. F. Scoti: himself, on his las. southern expedition. „ Tho adventurer 'ias run out to Hororata bv motor on Wednesday evening, and at once got on to .his skis. He wa to have a trial run, and heading in the Lection oE the first hut beyond Horola was soon, lost in the gloom. Seven minutes later,' Mr. Daniels was speakhl over the telephone from ho hu , five miles distant. He expressed a wish oVtiali right on that night, but Mr. Birte absolutely forbade him to keep on to the.dark. Accordingly, that iii B h the iomnev recommonced at B.JO on Thursday morning. Passing the Brackcndale hut! about ten miles from Hororata. Mr Daniels camo up with Messrs. Hayton and M'Ewan, who had left Hororata on Wednesday forenoon, in an attempt to ■et th'-'ough with two horses. Both men and horses were almost "done ui »£=,"^« o'c, rough and rutted ground-apparent-W brokSi by norses and. then snowed ove again-but later it improved, was iu°t necessary often to leave the r , ad but where tho lino did cross padSs fences presented no bnrrier o tne runtr lei g so nearly covered as'lo lie eaiv negotiable. Sir. Daniels was hindered somewhat in his progress by the nature of his alpenstocks These were not the proper thing, but supple poles Ti h iron flanges. In order to avoio

■risk to the precious skis, it was necessary to' plant these well out to cither sido Inroad of straight down, as is usual. There was everywljoro about threo feet of snow, but this was no trouble, Nor was there any wind to hinder the runner, bright freezing weather ruling throughout. But the cold was not i'el'; by Mr. Daniels, one of whose first actions when the run was over was to divest himself of his overcoat. After about four hours of actual running time from Gawlinor's, tho messenger canio upon Messrs. Blackwood, Swaney, and Poach, from tho powerhouse, who wore, out wilh horses to repair the line. This was just by the Point hut, about 12 or 13 miles from the lako, and about 15 miles from Gardiner's. The message about using the north transmission line as a telephone was then telephoned back to the powerhouse and communication was ostah lished, ■ Later in the dav the four men battle! back to the Brackendale hut, -'and spent tho night at a station homestead. On Friday they got through to Hororata, where" tho ski messenger was met by car. Onlv those who have experienced the. utter'loneliness of the. unbroken snow can tell what "heart" a man must have had to go out alone oh that run for Coleridge. Mr. Daniels deserves credit for his success. i THAW AT COLERIDGE MEETING THE PROVISIONING PROBLEM. The Government sub-station at Aldington received a telephone message from tho power-house on Saturday morning, stating that a north-west wind was ! blowing at Lako Coleridge, and that the snow was melting rapidly- _ Although the north transmission lino i had not been restored, and the supply of I electricity from' Lake Coleridge was conI sequently not normal, nevertheless tho City Council was celling its full load, and the power and lighting requirements of the city wero being filled. On Saturday, owing to the light city load, the factories being closed down, the tramways were run on 'Lake Coleridge power, but Mr. Birks was unable to givo the tramways an assurance that he could give thorn power on Monday; so it was possible that the tinmwavs generating plant would have to operate again. The principal difficulty confronting the Public Works Electrical Department is that of eettine provisions _ through to the Lake Coleridge power-house staff, who remain in a state of siege. Various plane have been discussed. A couple of men with two horses and two pack : horses, lett Hororata on Sntnrdav morning on an attempt to get tlirouek . . Mr L Birks, chief Government electrical engineer, and Mr. G. P. Forpison, assistant engineer, visited the Canterbury Aviation Company's flying grounds • at Sockburn on Saturday, to discuss the proposition of. fixing the engine and body ot an aeroplane on to runners, to skim nlong tho snow. 'The directors of the companv gave instructions that the construction of" a motor sledge, with % 4o-horse-power Anzani engine and an aeroplane proneller be proceeded with. Ihc two runners, built of ash. would bo fairlv broad-probably sft. each in width and 7ft. or Bft. long. The sledge would carry two men and considerable benzine and oil, besides stores for the lake, sphere would be no planes at all, as the sledge would never attain the living speed that would make the planes effective. Mr. Mnckie, the chief constructor at the aerodrome, was confident that the sledge would go all right on tho flat, ' but stated that he had not seen ono on tho hills. He expected great success on the snow, and the only question was whether tho machino would take the ; hills.