HEAVY RAIN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21977, 29 December 1936, Page 7

HEAVY RAIN

+ SOUTHWEST STORM CROP DAMAGE IN PLACES ALL SPORTS POSTPONED Heavy and continual rain throughout Canterbury province yesterday marred the holiday season, and caused concern to farmers in some districts. In South Canterbury the rain has been almost continuous since Sunday night, and damage to crops, chiefly near Geraldine, is regarded as fairly serious. In the city sports fixtures had to be postponed with the prospect of their not being continued to-day as rain was still falling steadily at midnight. After a cold easterly all day on Sunday which brought rain with it in the early hours of yesterday morning, the wind veered to the south-west and a heavy south-west storm set in. The temperature was not very low fortunately, and there was no snow on the higher country, but parts of the foothills had a severe thunderstorm yesterday afternoon. The rain was not sufficiently prolonged to do any damage to roads, but a report from Waiau last evening stated that the inland road to Kaikoura and the Waiau-Par-nassus road would probably be blocked by floods to-day. In the Rakaia, Winchmore, and Lagmhor districts, where the wheat crops are heavy in the straw, a good deal of crop iz tangled, some of it rather bady. Hay-making has been further interrupted over a wide area of the southern part of the province. The cutting of oats in the Ashburton county had been commenced, and in some fields the cut crop is still lying unstooked. Farmers Concerned The frequent rains are causing much concern amongst farmers, as a dry spell is .desperately wanted to facilitate the maturing of the grain. In South Canterbury a fall of an inch and a half of rain was recorded at Temuka yesterday. After a period of fine weather, rain began to fall late on Sunday night, continuing in a steady downpour for more than 14 hours, by which time 1.49 inches of rain had been recorded. Cocksfoot, wheat, and oats crops in the district all suffered slightly through being beaten down. . Hay-making operations have received a check. The hay has been ready for a fortnight, awaiting fine weather. Crops Down at Geraldine Steady rain had fallen in Geraldine since late on Sunday night, it was reported last night. Heavy crops, both of grain and grass for seed, have been lodged by the downpour, and hay is rotting where it has been cut. The growth of grass has been rank, and the pastures are becoming "mushy." At Ashburton after fine, mild weather during the week-end, heavy rain began about midnight on Sunday and continued yesterday. Up to 9, a.m., 59 points had been recorded. The sky was heavily overcast, with a wind from the south-west, and a cool temperature. Heavy rain began again last night. Very heavy rain began at Oxford in the early morning yesterday and from 2 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. 1.6 inches had fallen. In the afternoon it was particularly heavy with an almost continual thunderstorm. There was very little wind. On Banks Peninsula there was intermittent heavy rain all day and late last night there were no signs of a break in the storm. Heavy rain set in again about 7 p.m., but the temperature was still warm. Around Christchurch the rain was continuous all day. In the morning it was very heavy about 10 o'clock and again in the early afternoon, but later it changed to a heavy drizzle which was still falling at midnight. Little Rain at Waikari There was a light thunderstorm in the afternoon at Waikari, where the rain began about 1 p.m. It continued intermittently in the afternoon and was falling very heavily at 7 p.m. This district, which is a particularly heavy cropping area, seemed to have escaped the worst of the storm as from there and from Hawarden reports stated that so far as could be judged last evening few crops had been beaten down and the heavier ones which had suffered would recover as soon as there was some fine weather. The storm has delayed the beginning of harvesting operations, but this district usually recovers fairly quickly from rain and the delay will not be serious. The storm had not abated in any way last night. From Waiau to Hanmer there was heavy rain all day and the rivers were beginning to rise. It was 'expected that to-day the Mason, Conway and Stanton rivers would be impassable. Last evening it was becoming colder with no cessation of the rain. All shearing operations in the Cheviot district were stopped by the intermittent rain yesterday, which began about 10 o'clock in the morning. Sports Fixtures Postponed In the city no play was held yesterday in the Plunket Shield cricket match between Canterbury and Auckland, at Lancaster Park. When the game did not begin at 11 o'clock it was decided to inspect the wicket again at 3 p.m., but it was still unplayable then. If the weather is fine the game will be resumed at 11 a.m. today. The Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's championship tournament at Wilding Park was abandoned for the day but play will begin at 9 a.m. today if possible. Time has become an important factor in this tournament as some of the leading players are engaged in the New Zealand championships, which begin at Timaru tomorrow. At Shirley golf links play in the Christchurch Golf Club's Christmas tournament was c-it;nued, but play in the Canterbury e< championship tournament had to be stopped at midday. The latter tournament will continue to-day. The weather caused serious interference with the air services from Dunedin to Palmerston North. The northbound aeroplane did not leave Dunedin and the aeroplane from the north returned after reaching Christchurch. Mails and passengers for the south were transferred to the midday express foil- Dunedin. The Cook Strait air services were cancelled for the day.