CANTERBURY SNOWSTORM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 254, 15 July 1918, Page 4

CANTERBURY SNOWSTORM

v_t HEAVY LOSSES OP SHEEP. By Telegraph-Frees Association. Christchurch, July 13. Mr. P. Mackenzie, Inspector of Stock in Christchurch, returned to-day after an official visit to Oxford. He reports that the conditions there continue to be very serious. Large nnmbers of sheep are snowed in, and as there is no country 'clear of enow, there is no place to take tho sheep oven if they nro got out of the deep snow. A farmer told Mr. Mackenzie that he had 600 hoggets in tho snow, and would be very thankful if 300 were saved. Another farmer had had 2700 sheep in tho country behind Oxford, and got out about 1800. Tho deaths are increasing daily even amongst hand-fed 6heep, because they have become weaker, and are unable to get. out of places that would have offered little difficulty a few days ago. It is stated that the loss of sheep on Mr. A. W. Rutherford's Mendip Hills station has been very heavy.

A hea.vy loser by the recent snowstorm in Canterbury is Mr. A. W. Rutherford, ex-M.P. There has been great loss of stock on his Mendip Hills station. Everywhere on the slopes lie sheep, buried under a, covering of frozen snow, starved to death. So great has been the -destruction that at least half of Mr. A. W. Rutherford's flock of 11,000 head must either havo already perished or will be killed when spring conditions supervene. On the homestead property two feet of snow fell, but the depth wes very much greater on the adjoining hills. On all the stations of the district gangs afa out endeavouring to save the sheep, being here and there revealed as black dots on the dazzling white of the mountain sides.