MANTLE OF SNOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 40, 16 February 1929, Page 9

MANTLE OF SNOW.

BRITAIN FROSTBOUND.

Icy Conditions Expected To

Continue.

THAMES FROZEN HARD

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received 12 noon.)

lIUGBY, February 13

The fierce frost, which has now lasted for 120 hours, shows every sign of persisting in London. This morningl the temperature, showing nine degrees of frost, was the same as yesterday at a corresponding hour, but during the night it was slightly colder in London than on the preceding night.

An exposed thermometer registered 23 degrees of frost. Ice gained on the Thames during the night and the river was frozen over at places below Wind-

Although no ice that could impede navigation was seen below Walton yesterday, ice blocks of considerable size were to be seen floating in the river just above the tidal waters at Richmond to-day.

Reports state that at certain places along their courses some 23 English and Scottish rivers are now coated with ice. They include the upper reaches of the Severn and the swift-running Sprev River.

Skating is now general throughout the country and yesterday a professional skating championship was held at Lingay Fen, near Cambridge. In the presence of 5000 spectators, Donald Pearson won, covering the 1J miles course in five minutes. The last professional championship was held seventeen years ago.

The official weather forecast hints that the severe frost is going. It says: "Frost will continue but the temperature will tend to rise slowly." A general thaw is not, however, expected before next week and snow is predicted.

Meanwhile the ice is claiming more and more of the River Thames, Already blocks of ice are floating on the river at Richmond, only nine miles from Westminster. It is not, however, expected that the tidal waters of the river in London will be frozen over, as thev have been on occasions in the past.

Since those times when fairs were held on the ice of the river embankments have been built, which speed up the flow of the river.

The week-end promises a skating festival such as Britain has not known for years. The Thames ice is spreading further and there has been heavv snow in Devonshire, Lincolnshire, Kent, Sussex and Wales. It was snowing in London to-night and the frost was more intensive during the day

The Office of Works has announced that skating is allowed on the royal parks of London, where many fine stretches of water are covered to a thickness of three or four inches. Practically every stretch of water around London is also available for skatin".

EXECUTIONER HELD UP.

SUMMONED FROM ZAGREB. (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) (Received 12 noon.) BELGRADE, February 15. The public executioner, summoned tc Zagreb from Serajevo to execute four murderers, has been held up by snowdrifts on the journey and has not yet leached his destination, though the executions were arranged for Februarv 11. '

BISHOP'S DEATH.

COLLAPSE IN COLD

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.)

(Received 12 noon.) LONDON, February 15. The bidden death is announced of the Rev. William Champion Streatfield. He collapsed in a train owing to the cold. He was consecrated by Bishop Lewes in January as suffragan to the Bishop of Chichester, who died suddenly on February 13. the diocese thus losing two bishops in a few days.