FOOD SHORTAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 23, 27 July 1939, Page 10

FOOD SHORTAGE

RELIEVED BY LAUNCH

HEAVY SNOW IN CHRISTCHURCH

(By Telegraph- -Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day,

Fifteen feet of snow covers parts of the main highway to Akaroa, and practically the whole of Banks Peninsult will be isolated for several days. Settlers in outlying districts will be in a bad way, for they have received no fresh food since. Friday. Sixty men in the Public Works camp near Duvauchelle had been withou food for two days until a launch arrived with supplies from Akaroa this morning. At Little River a rapid thaw set in today, increasing the possibility of a serious flood. An attempt will be made to open Lake Forsyth tomorrow. Today the weather had cleared on the peninsula, although Hill Top was still having occasional snow and sleet showers.

The steamer John Anderson left Lyttelton this morning with food for the eastern bays, which are isolated. Lake Ellesmere, which yesterday almost blocked road traffic at Kaituna, had receded today with the slackening of . the south-west gale which had banked the waters up over the highway. Washouts still block the railway line at Birdling's Flat and Kaituna.

The storm which had raged over the peninsula for three days struck Christchurch last night, a fall starting about 6 o'clock and continuing in fierce squalls until the early hours of the morning. In the southern parts of Christchurch upwards of three inches of snow lay on the ground this morning. In the northern suburbs the fall was not so heavy.