THE WEATHER.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1918, Page 4

THE WEATHER.

CONDITIONS IN CANTERBURY

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. COPYRIGHT.]

CHRISI’CIi PRCH, July 23

Fortunately for Christchurch ami district generally, the fear of a frost last night was not realised, and there are now reasonable prospects of toe city bottoming closir 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 trout the country districts regarding tiie latest situation are more reassuring.

The football match, Otago High School versus Christ’s College had to he abandoned. The College Boys assisted the City Council’s scoops, and made a valiant attempt to clear- the snow off the. ground. hut the task was soon found to lie an impossible ono. „

Most of the City' schools have had to be closed.

' Bake Coleridge' electric lines have held without interruption througnoul the storm. This is 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 the snow fell heavily over the whole country last night. This on top of tho .previous heavy fall in the early part ■of the month will probably result- in serious consequences Lo a number of pastora lists. Johnston’s whaling party suffered ■heavily in the loss of their smaller but faster oil launch, which broke away from its moorings and became if total wreck.

RAILAYAY TROUBLES

SIMMN(; V !EI.I>-A'I{TH V R’B PASS LINE BLOCKED.

CHRISTCHURCH. July 23. Possibly never in its history has the

Railway Department in' Can tea" bury experienced such a month of trouble its has been the ease during the past four weeks. At present it hits several ,mishaps, arising from the weatin rol the last lew days, on its hands. The latest is that the Springliold-Arthur’s Pass lines have once more become blocked, if 10-lbot thick, snow barrier filling many of the cuttings. The cliariaeteristie of Lhe present Bill is that the snow is soft and powdery, whilst the high winds which accompanied it caused it Ur drift. This is the main cause of the accumulation in the cuttings. In consequence, the running ol the ordinary time-table passenger train lias been stopped.. A , repair tva.n ,lias been dispatched, with a gang of men, ,in an endeavour to.push its way to Arthur’s Pass. SNOWFALL IN OTAGO. DUNEDIN. July 23. The snowfall.' tliroughiout Otago .is heavy. The Central Otago Railway is running from one end to Ranfuiiy and at the. other end to Waipiata. The intervening live miles are blocked with four feet of snow on the open roads and 14 feet, in the railway cuttings. It is still snowing heavily in both places, hut it is hoped to establish through communication to-night. The main north road is impassable ! for wheel traffic on the .Mount Cargill j seetion. ; In the Clyde district there is as mu eh as-50ft of drift in the gullies. The danger is of a sudden thaw.