THE WEATHER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 98, 2 May 1913, Page 5

THE WEATHER.

STORM AMD HEAVY SEAS.

LOCAL EFFECTS. The storm which has raged locally since yesterday afternoon, has again interfered with both the electric light-

ing and telephone system. Something appears to' be radically wrong with the lines, and the presence the other day in Stratford of several officers cf the Telegraph Department suggests that big alterations will be made. There was trouble with the lines in Fenton and Regan Streets, and a reporter was shov>u a Broadway telebone which rang like a Big Ben alarm clock immediately the receiver was hooked up. Other subscribers are aLo experiencing difficulties with their ’phone. ihe night was a wild one, indeed, the wind maintaining hurricane force for hours. Towards daylight, however, the gale moderated, and beyond the levelling of a few fences no other damage has to be reported.

The attendances at the scUoois today are, of course, seriously chivied. At the Convent, considerably less rba”. half the number of scholars were piesent, and the school was dismissed before lunch time. The attendance figures are similar with respect 10 the High School. About 330 was the roll-call this morning, the infant room being particularly weak in numbers, with about 80 putting in an aopearance out of 200.

There was a fairly heavy rainfall to record this morning, but not quite so large as the rain gauge at the High School registered when the record ’ as taken. The true figures, it is stated, were one and a quarter inches, but the gauge made them out as inches. Someone, surely, had been having his little joke.

SHIPPING DELAYED

[Per Press Association.]

Wellington, May I

Mr Bates, Government Meteorologist, reports to-night that to-day’s storm was part of a cyclonic disturbance which developed considerably during the day.

For the first time for two or three years the Lyttelton boat failed to leave port. The Manuka, which left the wharf just after 5 o’clock, put back into the stream, and the Mararoa decided finally not to venture out. A heavy sou’-westor is tumbling up a big sea at the heads.

SNOW IX SOUTH CANTERBURY

Tim am, May 1

A cold southerly storm raged yesterday, and at night snow fell in the Mackenzie County. Five inches fell at the Hermitage, and four inches at Balmoral and Tekapo, but only half an inch at Burke’s Pass,