BITTER STORM CONTINUES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21466, 7 May 1935, Page 10

BITTER STORM CONTINUES

RAIN IN COASTAL DISTRICTS

AREA NEAR SEDGEMERE FLOODED

NO INTERFERENCE WITH FARM WORK

The storm which has swept the greater part of Canterbury since Saturday evening continued yesterday with heavy rain and wind, and showed few signs last evening of clearing off. Snow has been fairly heavy on the Port Hills and the hills of the Peninsula, but little damage has been reported so far apart from the flooding of about 200 acres at Cooper's Lagogn, near Sedgemere, where the sea swept across the retaining wall, demolished fences, and left a deposit of shingle and debris. Three power poles were blown down at Ashburton. In the town the storm has been most unwelcome because it has spoiled the jubilee celebrations, but in the country, where work is well forward., it is regarded as a blessing. There is an old country tradition that a severe storm at the beginning of the winter means a favourable season, and farmers have had two winters that were unseasonably mild. It is the first real storm for seven months. The weather seems to have been worst in the coastal areas, where temperatures have been very low, and where a blustering wind, at times blowing with great force, has brought showers of rain and sleet, and in some areas snow. Temperatures rose a little yesterday and the wind was not quite so vicious, but it was an unpleasant day throughout Canterbury, cold, and generally wet. In Lhe city it was miserable all day, with the rain almost continuous. In the evening rain fell very heavily for about an hour, Hooding gutters, and beating off the pavements high enough to wet legs up to the knees. The Port Hills were showing a thick covering of sleet and snow, and Mount Herbert was almost white. At Ashburton there was a clear night with a frost of 4.8 degrees.

Favourable Autumn The autumn has been a favourable one for farmers, and all agricultural work is well advanced. A great deal of autumn wheat went in last month, which was early, but it has allowed the farmers to be well up with their work. In some districts yesterday, notably at Oxford and Methven, farmers were able to get on with their sowing, the rain having held off. Feed is still fairly plentiful, and the cold weather will doubtless assist it by checking pests. Frosty weather! will almost certainly begin in j earnest after this storm clears, and; will ripen potato crops and assist I in the fallowing of paddocks turned | over, though it will put an end to pasture growth. In the high country there may probably be very small losses of sheep, but the summer has been so hot that snow is not likely to lie long enough to do any great damage. The damage done near Sedgemere was caused by the particularly heavy sea that beat on the coast. Old residents say that it was the worst for at least 25 years. Along practically the whole length of the shingle bank that cuts Lake Ellesmere off from the sea, waves were breaking over into the lake. The worst period was during the height of the storm on Sunday evening when the tide was at full flood. Cooper's Lagoon is an area which has been drained, and lies near Sedgemere just behind the coastal shingle bank to the south of Lake Ellesmere. The chief damage has been done by the shingle torn from the bank and washed into the lagoon, burying the culverts and cuts that keep the area free from water. Fences have been swept, away, and an area of 200 acres now lies under water, shingle, and debris. The water will soak away as soon as the sea goes down, but the shingle and debris have done a good deal of damage, not only to the paddocks, but also to the drainage works. Minor losses ot stock have occurred in the area. Heavy Seas Seas have been high all along the coast, and coastal shipping has been forced to seek shelter. At Timaru, a bonfire on Caroline Bay, built for the jubilee celebrations, though it was placed well up the beach, was surrounded by water and had to be moved. Waves washed up on to the lawn below the railway line and deposited sand and seaweed on the road. Heavy snow fell in the mountains behind Kaikoura all yesterday and in the town there was a bitter gale, with sleet and rain. There was a slight improvement last evening when the worst of the wind had abated, but the outlook was still threatening. The wind at Hawarden was bitterly cold and brought occasional showers, but not a great deal of rain. The hills surrounding the township carried a heavy coating of snow. At Waikari conditions were much the same, a strong wind carrying occasional sleet and rain showers, and keeping the temperature bitterly cold. There was a break in the weather at Rangiora about noon, when the sun shone after a morning of strong wind and scattered showers. The weather showed no further signs of clearing in the evening, and the hills to the west were covered with snow. A Fine Afternoon Oxford also had a reasonably fine afternoon after a miserably cold and wet morning. There was a clearing about noon, and the rest of the day remained dry, but still overcast. Temperatures rose a little during the afternoon, but in the evening the temperature was still described as fresh. It was still snowing in the hills in the evening. It was a reasonably fine day at Arthur's Pass where there was a cold wind but no rairi. Most of the snow was confined to the front hills. Rain and a high wind at Leeston did not prevent the town from carrying out its jubilee programme.

The rough wind was not good for the decorations on the shops, and the cold showers made the day far from pleasant. Heavy rain fell just after dark. The day was very boisterous at Little River, the gale being continuous and bringing heavy showers. Some of the creeks rose a little near the township, but not enough to alarm residents. There was a good deal of sleet, hail, and snow on the tops. A firebell at the north end of Akaroa collapsed under the pressure of the wind and fell into the street, bringing down telegraph lines. The wind blew hard all day, but there was less rain, the showers being less frequent than they were on Sunday. It was very cold, but there was less snow on the hills than might have been expected. Although there was a keen wind throughout the day at Methven, there was no rain after 9 o'clock in the morning. Farmers were able to continue with their work, and the trotting meeting was run successfully. The weather cleared early in the morning at Waimate and remained fine but cold all day. In the evening rain began again. There was some snow on Hunter I-Iill?.

SNOW AT FEILDING

(MESS iSSOCIATIOK XELEGEAiI.) FEILDING, May 6. There was a fall ol snow yesterday, which is a rare occurrence for Feilding. Snow still covers the Ruahine ranges,