DEEP SNOWDRIFTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 July 1939, Page 6

DEEP SNOWDRIFTS

EASTERN SOUTHLAND ROADS BLOCKED CONDITIONS AROUND GORE. I (By Telegraph—Press Association.) GORE. This Day. / Deep snowdrifts have blocked many roads in Eastern Southland, disorganising passenger, bus and mail services. Stock losses might be fairly heavy. After two days of driving, drifting snow, drifts in cuttings, several feet deep, block the main Gore-Dunedin Highway 10 miles north of Gore, while other deep drifts lie between Pukerau and Balelutha. A further four inches of snow covers yesterday's frozen crust on Gore streets and light snow is still falling. The school attendances are affected to such an extent that the schools will probably close tomorrow. At one - school today 305 pupils were absent from a roll of 520. ' SEVERE FROSTS. OVER TWENTY-FOUR DEGREES IN MARLBOROUGH. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. BLENHEIM, This Day. Heavy falls of snow on the high country are producing a series of double figure frosts.' The season's record was set this morning, 17 1 degrees being registered in the town. This was easily eclipsed at the newly-establish-ed weather station at the civil aerodrome, which reported 241 degrees. HARBOUR FROZEN OVER LIGHT ICE AT PAREMATA. WELLINGTON, This Day. A portion of the Paremata Ijarlr.our. 16 miles by rail from Wellington- is frozen over today. Unbroken ice is covering an area which is estimated at twenty acr.es and the ice is sufficiently thick to allow seagulls to walk on it. Rocks which have been covered at high tide are also covered with ice. Except in the far south, it is unusual for sea water to freeze in New Zealand. ALL ROADS IMPASSABLE DEEP SNOW AND BLIZZARD " jhj CANTERBURY. i 1 “WORST NIGHT IN LIVING 1 MEMORY.” 1 CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. > With a foot of snow lying in town, all roads are impassable. 3 Akaroa was isolated from ttie put- ; side world this mp.rping, except by telephone. Heayy snow began to fall again at 1 o’clock this morning, a.ccgpipanied by strong gale. It was the worst night in

living memory. A washout on the railway line at Kaituna prevented the morning train from Little River from getting through at 10.30. There was a foot of water over the road at the same place, and, with Lake Ellesmere rising hourly, extensive flooding is feared. It is impossible to negotiate the Akaroa Highway beyond Little River and the southern and eastern bays are cut off. While Lyttelton and Sumner experienced heavy falls of snow this morning, the city remained fr.e.e. Again the storm was centred on the Peninsula, the rest of the province escaping its full force. On top qf yesterday’s snowfall, last night’s storm will mean disaster to many farmers. Although the eastern and the more sheltered bays fared badly, those on the exposed south side of the Peninsula will, it is feared, suffer heavy losses in stock. ' From- the Hilltop this morning came a story of a terrible night, with an unceasing gale lashing before it driven snow which was forced under doorways and windows. The hotel’s wafer system was frozen solid Outside the front door snow had drifted four feet deep. The road was driven bare of snow and coated two inches thick in ice, and four-foot fences were buried in a white mantle, with the wind tearing the snow off the tops like spindrift. Little River experienced a raging blizzard, which howled round the township all night and was still in full force this morning. Driven snow was piled against buildings and in thp intense cold it froze as it struck. Telegraph poles and the south-west walls of houses were sheathed in ice. Whipped before the wind the snow did not settle on the flat, but piled up against fences and other obstructions, to create a scene of the utmost desolation. DUNEDIN ISOLATED DEEP DRIFTS ON APPROACHES. FOOT OF SNOW IN CITY STREETS. DUNEDIN, This Day. With a continuance of snow, sleet and blizzard, Dunedin is completely isolated this morning. The city’s streets are under a foot of snow with drifts 15 feet deep at the north and south entrances. No trams or trains are running and depleted staffs have caused the closure of some businesses.