BITTER CONDITIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 181, 1 August 1936, Page 10

BITTER CONDITIONS.

WANGANUI'S VISITATION.

FIRST TIME IN THIRTY YEARS

Heavy falls of snow were experienced yesterday in Southern centres. For the first time in 30 years snow fell in Wanganui. Conditions in the various centres as reported by the Press Association are as follows: —

Wanganui,—For the first time in 30 years snow fell last night in the flat area on which Wanganui is situated, but quickly thawed after sunrise. The fall was heavier on St. John's Hill, and further back on the higher levels the country was covered with a white mantle.

Timaru.—The heaviest fall of snow for some years-is being experienced in Timaru. The streets are covered and in some places the fall is over one inch. At Pleasant Point three inches fell, while at Waihaorunga Valley the snow lies about 9ft deep.

Ashburton.—The culmination of weeks of wet, cold weather, with three inches of rain, was a fall of four inches of snow last night. To-day is bright and line.

Dunedin. —After a short respite from heavy rain, which fell during the latter part of last week, Otago was again visited by wintry conditions yesterday, when sleet, snow and hail storms swept over the province. Shortly after daybreak light snow commenced to fall, and shortly afterwards hail and Elect squalls, driven by a hard southerly wind, made out-of-door conditions extremely unpleasant. The liills round Dunedin were soon covered with snow, making conditions hazardous for motor traffic, although the fall was not of sufficient depth to prevent passage on the main roads. There was no disorganisation of rail traffic.

Invercargill.—The mild winter was broken in Southland yesterday when snow fell in several parts of the province. In Invercargill light falls of snow wore followed by a steady fall, lasting nearly two hours, in the early evening. From two to three inches of snow were lying on the ground in Lumsden. At 9 p.m. it had stopped snowing, but it was freezing hard.

About seven inches of snow fell at Saddle Hill, near Lake Te Anau, but there was little, if any, snow at Hollyford.