THE PLIGHT OF SHIPPING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 262, 24 July 1918, Page 6

THE PLIGHT OF SHIPPING

OTIIEE PORTS AFFECTED. With the easing of the gale yesterday morning, four of the coastal fleet cleared tiic Heads, but as the afternoon passed and the weather increased in violence it was apparent that the likelihood of any of tho remaining 6hips leaving port was remote. The only othpr departure was that of the ferry eteainer Marafl-on. The arrivals during the day totalled four. Lato last night there was n <> sign of either the llusamond and Ripple from Gisborne or the John from Wanganui. A 6teamer that should arrive early this morning is the Ngatoro, from Napier. It was reported from Castlepoint that she passed there on her way to Wellington at 11.45 a.m. yesterday. Both the Rosamond nnd Bipple are, it is thought, sheltering somewhere down the East Coast. The Mapourika, which is now three days out from Auckland, has probably before this dropped anchor in one of the calmer bays. The Pateena arrived at Wellington from Nelson and Picton at 7.10 o clock last night, tho trip, although made in much about her usual time, being very rough, numerous seas coming aboard. The Maori had a hard battlo againet the gale on her way to Lyttelton on Monday night. It was 8.15 p.m. when she sailed from here, but it was 11.10 a.m. yesterday when she berthed at Lyttelton, twenty hours being the time taken to cover the distance of 172 miles, which is usually made by the Maori in twelve hours. The harbour ferry boats got another severe buffeting yesterday, and again Eona Bay could not be worked. To safeguard the boats from passible damage if berthed for the night at Day's Bay wharf, both the Duchess and the Cobar again returned to the town wharves after their last trip Between the rain squalls yesterday a few gangs of men were working on eome of the coastal boats, but nearly all the labour was used for the larger traders.

From reports received the weather is still bad at other Now Zealand ports generally. On tho West Coast of the South Islanjl tho condition improved to a marked extent. At Greymouth the bar was smooth enough in the morning for the Orepuki to cross inwards after a 50-hour trip from Wellington, and for the Defender to sail for Wellington. The Union S.S. Compauy expected that the Kahika, villi a full load of coal for Wellington, would be able to snil this morning.

Exceptionally heavy weather is being experienced on the coast, and the Jlono■\vni at Gisborne liad a particularly rough passage. Oivine to the heavy seas she was unable to take on any Gisborne passengers, and she left there at 3.30 p.m. on Holiday for Auckland.

The Northern S.S. Company's Rarawa was expected to cross the Manukau bar about 9 a.m. yesterday for New Plymouth, but no further advice was received a 6 to her sailing. MAORI IN A HURRICANE TAKES TWENTY HOURS TO REACH LYTTELTON. By Telegraph— Press Association Christchurch, Jnly 23. Tho ferry steamer Maori, on her trip from Wellington last night, experienced what was probably the Toughest and most, prolonged piissago in her history. Tho Vessel left Wellington at 3.19 yesterday afternoon, and immediately on entering the Strait from Wellington Heads was caught by a. south-wester of hurricane force, 'i'iie wind and heavy sea reduced the vessel's speed to about five or six knots per hour, and seas swept the decks frequently. At 8.5 she had reached Cape Campbell, where blinding snow showers were encountered. The vessel progressed at about six or eight.knots por hour, tho opaque atmosphere making navigation difficult. Captain Manning, however, managed to keep the ship well within her comm The trip occupied 20 hours—roughly, eight hours longer than is usually taken by tho Maori.

THE SNOWSTORM FURTHER PALL IN THE KAIKQURAS liy Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch,, July 23. Fortunately for Christchurch and district generally, the fear oi a frost last night was not realised; and there are now reasonable prospects of the city becoming clea.r of snow in two or three days. A thaw, set in during the night, and there has been a,good deal of rain to-day. Reports from the country districts rcgardinj,, the latest situation are more reassuring. Tho football match Otago High School v. Christ's College had to be abandoned. The college boys assisted (lie City Council's scoops, and made a valiant attempt to clear tho snow off the gronn;!, but the. task was soon found lo be an impossible one. Most of the city schools have had to be closed. The Lake Coleridge eleoiric lines have held without interruption throughout tho storm, probably due to the fact that the snow up country has not been so heavy as it was a fortnight ago. Advice from Kaikoura states that snow fell heavily over tlis whole country last night, and this, on top of the previous hcavv fall in the early part of the month, will probably result in serious consequences to a number of pastoralists. Johnston's whaling party have suffered a heavy loss. Their smaller, but faster, oil-launch broke away- from its moorings and became a total wreck. HEAVY FALL IN OTAGO. ' Dunedin, July 23. Tho snowfall throughout Otago has been heavy. On the Central Otngo railway line traffic is running from one end to Ranfurly and from the other end toWaipiata, the intervening fivo miles being blocked. There is four feet of snow on the open roads, and fifteen feet in the railway cuttings. It is still snowing heavily at both places, but it is hoped to re-establish through communication tonight. The main north road is iinpas-

sablo for wheeled traffic. In the Mount Cargill section of tlio Clyde district thero is as much us 50 feet drift in the gullies, which will become- dangerous if tuoro is a 6uddcn thaw. A RAPID THAW IN THE WAIRA- , RAPA. (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Masterton, July 23. Intermittent rain fell to-day, and tho enow has rapidly thawed on the lower levels. The hills are still covered in white, but unless a warm rain falls it iB not thougiit that heavy floods will occur. Reports from the back country indicate that there lias been a fairly heavy loss of sheep. The mail services were restored to-day. RAILWAY HOLD UP. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, July 23. Possibly never in its history hae the Railway Department in Canterbury experienced such a month of trouble as has boeu the case during the past four weeks. At present it has on its hands several mishaps arising from the weather of the Inst few days. The latest is that tho Springfield-Arthur's Pass line has once more become blocked—a ten-foot thick snow barrier filling many of tho cuttings. A characteristic of'tho present fall is that tho enow is eoft and powdery, whilst the high winds which accompanied it caused it to drift. This is the main ciiuso of the accumulation in the cuttings. In consequence, the running of the ordinary time-tablo passenger train to Arthur's Pass to-day has been ajandoned. Meanwhile a "snow" train has been dispatched with a gang in an endeavour to push its way to Arthur's Pass. THE OUTLOOK COLD AND CHANGEABLE. ■ Yesterday in Wellington was very cold, and although the bitter southerly blast had lost some of its strength, the wind still blew very hard. Bain held off till the evening, when there was .a heavy shower. Present indications are for cold and changeable weather, strong ' southwest to south-east winds, scattered showers, and heavy seas on the East 'Coast. The barometer is rising everywhere. -