THE WEATHER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 531, 21 June 1872, Page 2

THE WEATHER.

The last week has been an exceptionally cold one. and the snow-fall greater than we remember ever seeing since the opening of the Dunstan Eush. On Friday morning last, about 1 o’clock, snow began to fall, and lasted, without intermission, till-nearly 8 a.in., by which time the whole face of the country, from mountain top to river’s edge, was covered with a virgin-white mantle to some depth, rendering locomotion in some places no easy task, in others completely stopping it. The sight of the snow apparently brought back to the minds of many old associations ; and, as if by a preconcerto signal, the harmless and exhilirating pastime of snow-balling was indulged in. The staid and aged, the demure midd'eaged, and the frollicking youth all joined, and with a zest returned hall for ball, as if their very lives depended on it. The snow for the nonce being past. King Frost stepped in, and to the time of our going to presshas maintained bis sway, converting every puddle and lake into a sheet of glass-like ice, and making the earth iron-bound. The farmers and miners, by this change of the season, have been completely knocked off from work ; the former on account of the extreme hardness of the ground, the latter for want of water, their sources of supply being so materially diminished or from the water failing to run in their ditches. This forced idleness has led to amusement, and ,on the numerous sheets of ice throughout the district, whether in Clyde, Alexandra, Black’s, nr Cromwell, arc grouped together thejmost joyous of crowds, from morning to eve, skating and sliding. So great was the demand for skates that the blacksmiths were-kept busy improvising them for the occasion. Cobb’s coach, via Waikouaiti, on Saturday and Tuesday last, was several hours behind time, and the driver affirms that it was only by dint of whip and an extra amount of coaxing the horses were got along at all. The coach via Teviot, we regret to say, broke down on Monday last, and Hugh Ci aig was unable to put in an appearance at Clyde till the following evening.