SNOWFALL

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1931, Page 4

SNOWFALL

THE FIRST FOR YEARS

A NEW EXPERIENCE,

Hokitika woke up this morning to find snow had been falling for some time and it continued to fall steadily At 8 o’clock there were two inches on the ground and it was still steadily continuing. The experience is an unusual one, the last substantial fall here having occurred at the end of August 1897 when the town was covered by about an inch. Yesterday it was reported that snow had been falling from Waiho to Ross and that in places there were six inches on the ground.

Reports from ICokatalii this morning stated there was at least a fall of four inches and it was still snowing heavily. All the other outlying places report the fall to be substantial. Grey mouth reports there was a considerable fall there this morning, while at Ivumara the snow was several inches thick,. The young people had a morning out and advantage was taken of the unusual occurrence to indulge in the pastime of snowballing and the pedestrian in the street had a busy time dodgino- the missiles, especially at the time when going to work. On July 14. 1897 when the last Snow fell here, the late Air Charles Holtgl&S, and a party of two, one being Mr Wm. Smith of Hampden Street, were camped oil' the river hod cm the Whitcomb* River at ilgrwin Crag Camp, when they were snowed in for eight days, the snow being several feet above their tents, On the ninth day Mr Smith left camp for Hokitika and took nine hours to make the journey on foot. The snowfall was so heavy at Riniu, over seven inches, that motor cars were tillable to travel up the big hill at Rimu and had to come back to town this morning.

As far as the telephone could operate this morning the snowfall was reported as of record dimensions. The telephone south broke down this morning and the farthest point south available this morning was Pukekura Reports from the north at 10 o’clockstated. that snow was then falling heavily at Runanga.

The" snowfall at Hokitika stopped at 10 a.m., there being a brief glimpse of the sun. * The snow in the streets was soon out up hv motor traffic and a thaw set in, the streets soon being in a very slfippy state.

Snow began to fall at Grevmoutli this morning at 2 o’clock, and then stopped for a while, falling heavily again after daybreak. Snowballing in the streets cost someone several amounts for window repairs. Large windows in Haines, Hygiene Fish Mart, Kellers and Miss Dowell’s, were included in these broken by snowballers. There were 8 inches of snow at Staf ford, ten at Goldsborough. and mor ts the road went north, nearly a 100 in places in and around Ivumara a Dillmans.

At midday the sun had come or and there was a rapid thaw in tli streets though the snow is lying henvi' on the grass. In upper portions of tin town the fall was much heavier thai near Revell Street, and the snow wai still lying very thick after midday.

IN GREY VALLEY

The boisterous weather which last week prevailed, persisted throughout the week-end, the conditions becoming rather worse, and marking out this winter as one of the worst for years past. Grey mouth was enshrouded in semi-darkness on Saturday night for about an hour and a-quarter, just as dusk had fallen. At 4.40 p.m., as a result of the south-westerly gales causing considerable damage to the electric lines between the Power House at Dobson and Grey mouth, the lights, a toi a blue flash, were extinguished throughout the borough and at Cohdcn. The main fault was found to he in the vicinity of Omoto and Kaiata. The force of the gales was such as to break insulators and entangle wires. Reports from Reefton show that snow fell almost incessantly yesterday, reaching a depth of from three to four indies. The motorists Who arrived

from Reefton late. last night reported' that from Reefton practically to Greymouth the ground was entirely coated with snow, which, in places, made the road difficult for a motor-car to traverse, the dept ranging from three to four inches. Between Dobson and Ngahere the snowfall was particularly heavy.

AT GREYMOUTH. {By Teleyraph — Terl’ress Association) GREYMOUTH, July 20. Greymouth awoke this morning to find itself snowcovered for the first t : me for twenty years and the heaviest fall in living memory of the town. An old resident states that snow has fallen in fine town on only four times since 1870. The snow continued this morning till ten o’clock. There was beauteous scenes in the neighbouring liil-S anu snowballing is general.

REEFTON’S FALL

REEFTON, July 20.

Snow fell to a depth o' three inches on Saturday night tfnd last night a further fall to a depth of twelve inches. All outside work .is suspended also all coal mines. It is the third fall tins month and the heaviest for twenty years.

WESTPORT’S SNOW

WESTPORT, July 20. Westport experienced half an inclr of snow this morning and is the heaviest fall in memory, Renniston is covered in a mantle over a foot deep. ALL SOUTHLAND UNDER SNOW. INVERCARGILL, Ju"y 19. The term “in winter’s grip,” can aptly he applied to Southland at present, practically the entire province heirio- under snow. Invercargill City itself is covered! with snow to a depth of about three inches, more than has fallen for some years. The towns of Otautau, Queenstown, Nightscaps, Lumsden and other country centres all have about five to inches of snow. Stormy conditions, with electrical! disturbances, have prevailed since last, Wednesday, tending each day to become worse, rather than to improve. Yesterday morning the wind reached almost cyclonic force, and was accompanied by driving rain. All outdoor fixtures were consequently postponed. Hail and sleet followed, and last night it began continuing at intervals throughout to-day. - The weather showed no signs of clearing early ■ this evening.