SNOW COVERED

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 263, 25 July 1918, Page 8

SNOW COVERED

CONDITIONS IN CIIRISICHURCH

BUSINESS DISORGANISED

C'hristchiirch presents th« appearance of an old-world city in grim winter's grip (stated Tuesday's "Press"). Its streets are inches deep in snow, and on lawns and parks, on roofs, and in other places the white flakes huve found a resting place. The Port Hills, covered with snow from top to foot, present an impressive sight. The snowfull in the city is stated to have been the heaviest recorded for over fifty years, a depth of seven inches on the flat being recorded by the Meteorological Observatory on Monday morning. Strange to say there was comparatively little, if any, snow in several country districts which are usually heavy sufferers from such visitations. For instance, hardly any snow fell at Lukj Coleridge until Jiior.day, when three inches was recorded. Again, at Springfield there has been only a trifling fall. Tho centre of the disturbance seems to have been Christchurch and its immediate surroundings, Uanks Peninsula in particular suffering heavily. In the early hours of .Monday morning snow showers fell at intervale, but the clouds partially cleared, and a full moon lit up a scene that was full of beauty. The break, however, was only temporary, for before lons the snow was coming down in thick showers, culminating in a regular flurry between 7 and !) o'clock. The state of the streets made walking anything but a pleasure, and to push a bicycle through it was a heavy task, The paper-runners set out on their rounds as usual, but circumstances were too much for them, and ..the majority, exhausted by their efforts, had to leave their rounds uncompleted. As the morn, ing wore on the snow gave way to hail and sleet, and then heavy showers of rain were experienced. During the afternoon the rain ceased, but tho bitterly cold sou'-ivester continued, and towards midnight snow and rain fell, conditions thereafter being much brighter. Some attempt was made on Monday by the City Council's officials to clear lane 3 for traffic. The Tramway Board cleaned the rails of snow, and the paths thus made were availed of by vehicles and pedestrians, it being a matter of the greatest difficulty to push through tho anov. The heavy fall was responsible for much disorganisation of industry. Tho partial failure of (he trams to reach their destination at schedule time resulted in several thousands of citizens tramping to business on foot, arriving there at a belated hour. After arrival tho excitement of snowball fighting lured the employees out of doors, and customel's being few and far between the heads of most businesses surrendered to (ho carnival of King Snow-, and practically all the leading shops closed theiv doors long before tho usual hour. Many housewives had cause to revile the snow, for tradesmen's delivery carts woro unable in many instances to make their rounds, 'and numbers of families, in addition to doing without the morning paper, had to go without their bread and milk. The miow and slush conquered the strongest boots, and brisk business was by sundry shops in hose-and goloshes. The children attending the city schools were given a holiday, and they and many older members of the community spent the greater portion of: tho day in strenuous snowballing. SNOW KAPIDLY DISAPPEARING. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch. July 24. Tho city is gradually resuming its normal wintry appearance, the thaw, assisted by rain showers, having effected a clearance of the snow which since Sunday had lain thickly on footpath and roadway alike. Tho efforts, of the City Council workmen, with Iheiir many hastily improvised snow ploughs and rakes, have resulted in most of the streets in the inner city area being fairly comfortably negotiable by all classes of traffic, and pathways along which yesterday pedestrians plodded ankle deep in slush are to-day in many cases presenting onco more an unbroken asphalt, surface.' A bitterly cold, heavy ram from the southwest is falling to-night. The railway traffic authorities cannot nay anything definite yet as to when communication will be restored on the Midland ljne to Arthur's Pass. There is no possibility of the express getting through fo-monrow, and its chances of doing so on Saturday are regarded as very doubtful. The Little liiver service is still interrupted, and the gang of workers lias not becu atilo to repair the bveacli in the embankment on the lino owing to the washout. No > it'eclive work will bo possible, it is reported, till the waters of Lake. Forsyth go down. MARAROA GETS ANOTHER BUFFETING' By Telegraph—Vroes Association Christchurch, July 24. Tho Mararoa on the passage from Wellington last night had an experience somewhat similar to that of her two previous trips. She left Wellington sharp at 3 p.m., and ran into a sweeping southerly gale at the Heads, against which she battled till well beyond Capo Campbell, which she reached about 7 p.m. The vessel was unable to make more than, six or seven knots an hour, until she was well yia>t tho limits of Kaikoura, when tho gale abated, and she. was enabled to proceed at something like her usual steaming rale. On arrival at Lyttelton at 8.45 a.m. the vessel boro ample signs of her buffeting,