SNOW FALLS IN NELSON

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30945, 29 December 1965, Page 3

SNOW FALLS IN NELSON

(N.Z. Press Association)

NELSON, Dec. 28.

Snow collapsed campers’ tents and tobacco growlers feared crop damage when a cold spell hit Nelson province today.

The tents collapsed

at Lake Rotoiti after

; snow early this morn- * ing and holiday-mak-ers worked in freezing ; conditions to re-erect • them.

Children made the most of

• the fall—about five inches. The * lake is at an altitude of 2000 ’ feet.

• Campers in Nelson city • motor-camps complained of • the cold, and at the Tahuna . beach the shopkeeper sold out • of hot-water bottles. ; Several areas in the Nelson

district had snow low on the hills. It was down to 1500 feet on the Takaka hill, near the Motueka tobacco-growing areas.

Tobacco growers in the Ngatimoti and Orinoco areas faced an anxious night, fearing frost damage to crops. “If there is a frost tonight it will be a tragedy,” said Mr N. J. Martin, of Ngatimoti, who is chairman of ward two of the Tobacco Growers’ Federation. “Crops now are frost tender and thousands of pounds worth of damage could be done by a frost.” Besides frost damage, crops could be susceptible to virus diseases if the cold weather retarded plant growth, he said.

A gale flattened the crowded bar marquee at the Waimarama beach horses races 22 miles from Hastings yesterday. Patrons were pinned down by flapping canvas and two barmen were trapped beneath a trestle.

Eastern Southland shivered 1 today in the worst summer 5 storm for years. Cold south- 1 westerly winds brought tern- s peratures back to mid-winter i levels. The Hokonui hills, near s Gore, this morning had snow I down to a low level. North-west winds gusting to s 55 m.p.h. prevented N.A.C. I services using Gisborne air- s port this morning. < Freak weather in the Auck-il

land province during the last 24 hours brought problems to holidaymakers, disrupted the search for a young man missing on Ruapehu, and sent scores of yachts and motor boats scurrying for shelter. Ripening plums in Henderson and Oratia orchards have been affected by the wind. One grower reported that half his crop of early plums had been lost.