SEVERE WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 245, 4 July 1918, Page 6

SEVERE WEATHER

SNOW-COVERED COUNTRY

SOUTHERN TELEGRAPH WIRES STILL

INTERRUPTED

It is five years at least since the Post and Telegraph Department has had to contend with such conditions as have hampered them this week in connection with telegrapjiic communication between, tho A : ortli Island and stntions south of Kaikoura and east of Greynioutli. The Telegraph Department issued the following notho yesterday morning:— Ureymouth reports: "Position unchanged except that weathor Rearing; no communication with stati6ns east of Greymoutb."

Blenheim reports: "No communication south of Kaikoura. Lines in bad condition soutli of that point. Weathor now clear. , ' The above messages indicate that the position is as bad us it was on Monday, "icept that the weather is clearing, which is the one ray of hope that normal fondijions will shortly be restored. According to tho Superintendent, that is 'lot likely to lie the case before Saturliday. as all reports agree as to tho phenomenal character of the storm which has' swept over the Soutli Mand. The whole, of the country betwoen Darfield and hheflield is under shot. At tho latter pla'co there was two and a half feet'of snow on Monday and 'Tuesday, and under such conditions restorative work was extremely difficult, if possible at all. A great deal of damage had been done in the way of fallen lines, and as these wore at latest buried in the snow in tiomo parts of tho country, the work of re-erecting them and so establishing communication was one that largely dopended on the weather conditions. ' If the weather continued to improve, .restoration would tako plnee us soon as possible. Under the circumstances the Department wao doing its best. On Tuesday the Mararoa, which arrived 10 hours late, brought up, 1700 telegrams, aud yesterday morning tho Maori,' arriving on time (at 7 a.m.), brought forward another 1700 telegrams. A staff of operators and messengers wero in waiting, and so well did they meet the emergency that the last telegram of those brought up by the Maori had left tho office here before 10 a.m.

Since telegraphic communication with the south has 1-een cut off the average number of telegrams arriving by steamer daily from Lyttelton has been 1650, ami about 1590 daily have been sent south. Local shipping has been practically idle this week, as the result of Mie bad weather, i'esterday tli3 harbour was practically looked to all but the lairger steamers, there being only five sailiii"s. I'ho Kaitoa, from Nelson, , was about three hours late on reaching hero but the Maori, from Lyttelton, berthed about her usual time. At various other ports and calm bays small coasters were α-c- ---' ported tobe sheltering. Shipping at Lyttelton ifyliso/ganised, and the arrival at. Wellington of vessels from there is uncertain. Outward-bound ships from Wellington have made in several cases protracted trips to their destinations.