THE WEATHER.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16850, 2 June 1920, Page 7

THE WEATHER.

\7XNTUY conditions continue.

Though not nearly so wot as the throe proceeding days, yesterday proved damp and unpleasant. llain did not fail continuously, hut the _ conditions ; cronccraliv were decidedly wiriiry, and during tl'io greater portion of the day ; and even in- a drizzling rain, varying occasionally to a moderately heavy fall, ( prevailed. The wind continued from ' u.e .south-west, though not m such vclurac as boio.e. ana early tlus morn- ; in"'light rain was stul lalnng, yie sky beincc completely overcast, and showing low ft'iin.? of 11 brc::k in the v»a\ or incie , accpntab'e weather. T/unniz the past month the weather in the Siirintrston district has been very changeable. "'At the beginning ot the month three most severe iros«.s were experienced, and the last neck ,ias been Yerv wintry, with strong winds and heavy smiaiis of ram, hail, and s.eet. During Saturday night some exceedin*rlv honvv peals of thunder passed over. Ons "house suffered rather bad.y, having eleven panes of in different windov/.-; smashed to atoms, ana m nr.otlier, about a mile distant, one pano was smashed. , ! The weather at Tvirweo has been ex-' cecdinclv cold and stormy. A very strong" wind from the south-west oleiv at times with almost hurricane iorce, and as this was accompanied at intervals by rain, hail, sleet., and snow, itwas very trying to those who had to 00 out in it. The wind calmed 011 .Monday afternoon, but heavy rain again set in oarlv on Tuesday morninsr, .3-ui peine registered by midday, "ho rainiall for Mav was l.SOin, rain falling on 11 days, the maximum fall being .83m on the 20th. For the co-responding month ■ of ISI9 .13in fell: 1918 .oSin, and 191/ 4.11 in. For the five months ending cn Mav 31st, 12.92 in were registered, and for "the same period of 1919 7.53 in, ISIS 8.40 in, and 1917 ]].S3in. I Tlie weather at Waipara lias been extremely wintry for _ the last few days. The nor'-we*fc wind on Thursday | changed suddenly to a strong sou'-west' blizzard, and on Friday morni;f; the i countryside was covered with n luaniV 1 of white about one inch in depth. It thawed very quickly, and by midday the ■ snow had disappeared on the flats, but tho sou'-west wind continued strong to galo, with occasional rain showers, till about midday on Monday, tho weather became much milder. Stock. around this district are all looking extremely well for this time of the year, | thanks to the moist late autumn and ■ the absence of frosts. Until the break: in the weather farmers were busy get-] ting the autumn crops in. A little more wheat is being sown this year than usual, owing, no doubt, to the uncer- i tain position of the meat market. Tho, rainfall for the past month was 2.05 in. (SrECIAI- TO "TITE PttESS.") WELLINGTON, June 1. The weather here has been unusually bitter, and such a prolonged spell of had weather is not often experienced sif Wellington. Passengers by the northern express complain of the bitter cold and the ineffective heating of the carriages. FLOODS IN ENGLAND. THE LOUTH DISASTER. (By Cable —Pr#sa Association —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, May 31. The damage from the flood at Louth is estimated at £250,000. Over 70J persons are homeless. The river rose 10 feet in 40 minutes, and swept through the town at a terrific pace. About 1000 houses were damaged, (lieceived June Ist,. 10.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 31. Horncnstle, twelve miles south-west of Louth, was isolated from Saturday until to-day, the roads being flooded to a depth of five feet and the railways being impassable. Great damage was done to property, hut no lives were lost. Pedestrians in the Manchester district only saved themselves on tho high roads- by swimming with the flood f waters.

There is terrible desolation in Louth. Tons of debris are lying everywhere amidst the black mud, including motorcars, pianos, and bedding. Several children were trapped on the ground floor of a house. The mother vainly tried to save them by piling up the furniture and putting them on top. In' another case a mother made her children climb a high dresser and hang on to hooks in the ceiling when the dresser collapsed. Three children let go tho hooks and were drowned. The mother and one child were saved. BATH IN,AUSTRALIA. (Received June Ist, 9.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 1. Rain is falling in many parts of the west, and is expected to extend over the whole State. (Received June Ist, 9.40 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Jiine 1. Good falls of rain have been rocordcd in the northern and western parts of Victoria.