COLD SNAP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 208, 3 September 1938, Page 7

COLD SNAP.

SNOW IN THE SOUTH. RIVERS RUNNING HIGH. LAMB LOSSES FEARED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. After a mucli-needed spell of warmer weather, a southerly storm broke over the greater part of Canterbury. In the last 48 hours there has been heavy rain and a gale, with low temperatures. It is expected that there will be considerable losses among lambs as a result of the cold snap. A cold southerly wind, rain and snow on the higher country made conditions bad for lambing. Late sowing of crops which had already been delayed considerably because of the wet winter, has again been held up. Rivers are running high, the Temuka River being in heavy flood and causfng erosion. Fed by the Eyre River, the Waimakariri rose 3ft yesterday, but it was falling again this morning. The Ashley River is also carrying a good volume of water, but there is no danger of flooding. In Christchurch the weather was showery yesterday morning, but the rain became a steady downpour in the evening, and continued throughout the night. The rain was driven by a strong south-westerly wind, and the temperature was colder. Light snow began to fall at Arthur's Pass about 10 o'clock last night, and was lying on the ground after an hour or so. Snow also fell on the foothills at Oxford yesterday, when the weather was very boisterous. Heavy rain fell at Hanmer Springs yesterday, and there was snow on the higher country. The Union Company advised that the inter-island steamer Rangatira was six hours late, and she did not berth till noon.