OTAGO BUZZARD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19999, 26 July 1939, Page 5

OTAGO BUZZARD

SNOW IN CAPITAL HEAVIEST IN 50 YEARS THREAT OF ISOLATION TRANSPORT DISORGANISED NORMAL NOISE MUFFLED (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. Hhe normal life of Dunedin citizens was almost completely dislocated yesterday 'by what is considered t'o be the heaviest fall of snow that the city has experienced in 50 years. Residents awoke to find the ground covered to a depth of 4in. or sin. on the lower levels and up to 9in. in the hill areas. This in itself was an exceptional experience, but the falls continued at intervals throughout the day until there was over* a foot of snow in some areas. In the later afternoon the snowfall became heavier and -frequent- with the result that the city and surrounding country now lie under an increasingly heavy mantle of white.

A continuation of such, conditions may result in the city facing a threat of isolation. Trains ran normally yesterday, however, and in urgent cases motorists were able safely to negotiate the main north and south roads.

Realisation of the extent to which such a visitation may affect business and private life must have come as a surprise to almost everyone. The whole atm’osphere of tire city life underwent a sudden change. Closing'of Schools

Transport was completely disorganised. Schools- were closed. Shoppers in the city fell away to a mere, fraction of the usual numbers and streets which are normally filled- by rushing motor traffic -carried l only a few cars travelling at a .snail’s pace. The fact that cars were held up- everywhere, despite the caution of tire drivers, bore testimony ■to the treacherous condition -of the road surfaces and the depth of the drifts in which many found themselves -securely held. Hill residents and many on the flat areas who found themselves deprived of 'the usual early morning transport services ploughed’ their way through snow almost up to their knees in places and arrived at their places of work long past the routine starting hour.

Everywhere out of doors normal movement was impeded and a large army of workmen strove throughout the day in the effort .to cope with the hopeless task of restoring normal road conditions. The soft blanket of white had the effect of muffling the normal city noises and of accentuating those sounds which arise as a result of the atmosphere of excitement -Which the novelty of the conditions created. Cheerful Spirits The difficulties- and inconvenience which the conditions imposed were generally accepted with infectious cheerfulness and everyone strove to extract as much amusement- as possible from the situation. The result was such extraordinary scenes as young people -in winter sports attire speeding down- the steeper city streets on skis, and a motor -car trailing through the city a toboggan carrying half a dozen young men. snowballing from side to side of the city’s main thoroughfare was one of 'the novel -sights that the day provide*. if! The telegraphic service worked efficiently, despite the severe weather i conditions. Heavy snow at the airport was reported. The city electrical engineer stated that a careful watch was being kept on the power lines Leading to the city. No difficulty was anticipated unless the wealher conditions changed for’ the worse. Shipping Delayed Shipping was held up as a result of the weather, no labour being available on the waterfront. Only one ship, -the Canterbury Shipping Company's motor vessel Storm, was due yesterday, and -she arrived on time. The ships delayed- were those already in port and various departures -set -down for yesterday and to-day-had to be postponed. The whole of the City Corporation’s staff was engaged -all day to-day and throughout last night in trying ’to clear the snow from the principal streets. Three -graders of -the council and two hired ones worked unceasingly clearing the snow off the main routes and men were grouped at intersections shovelling snow into . lorries.

Throughout last night graders kept at the huge task of clearing the main routes on the flat for traffic and scores of men assisted in the endeavour to make the roads safe for ihotor vehicles and trams this morning.