WELCOME RAIN

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 138, 7 March 1929, Page 12

WELCOME RAIN

LONG DRY SPELL ENDED HEAVY FALLS REPORTED The long dry spell which had lasted a full month ended on Tuesday with lately heavy showers, which were general throughout the North Island. The rainfall during January was nearly one inch below the normal for the month, and after the firstAwo days of February very little rain fell in Wellington until Tuesday. There was a strong northerly gale and heavy rain throughout Tuesday night, and it lasted all day yesterday, the wind decreasing in force during the day. For the forty-eight hours ended 9 a.m. yesterday, 91 points, ox nearly one inch of rain, was recorded at Wellington, which was 11 points more than for the whole of February. The. Thin, which was very welcome to farmers, caused some delay in the Toe ding and discharging of ships in port yesterday, and the departure of several, liners had to be postponed. Heavy showers were frequent all day, and there was a particularly heavy fall at dusk, causing considerable ssdur.of.clay banka and some flooding in' low-lying .streets. There was every indication Of the rain continuing all night •■■■■■, ■ The rainfall is. general throughout the Dominion, and will mean much to farmers,. There were some particularly heavy falls in the South Island during the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. yesterday. -Over 5} inches was recorded at Arthur’s Pass, 3} Inches at Greymouth, nearly 2} inches at Westport, and 130 points at Farewell Spit, Practically the only part, of the Dominion that had not. had rain up to midday yesterday was. along the East Coast of the North Island from Castlepoint up to East Cape..--Abridge under water ■ : S ON AKATARAWA-WAIKANAE ROUTE. Information has been received that the Rlkiorangi bridge on the Akatar-awa-Waikanae road Is under water. The. structure, which is only a temporary one, is In a dangerous condition, and motorists are advised not to use/ this route at present. HEAVY RAIN’ ON WEST WEST COAST SCHOONER SIX DAYS OVERDUE, j • By Telegraph.—Prefis Association. Greymouth, March 6. Heavy rain is falling on the Coast. The total' so far this week is 5.5 inches, of which 8.5 inches fell in the twenty-four hours ended' at 9 o’clock this morning. The rivers are rising. H.M.S. Dunedin is due in the Greymouth roadstead tomorrow, but there is little prospect of the men being able to land in • a tug, owing to the sea on the bar. The auxiliary schooner, Piri, carrying explosives from .Melbourne to Greymouth, is six day* overdue. The agents think that she may be sheltering along the coast. WASH-OUT ON RAILWAY >y Solegraph.— Press Association: Westport, March 6. Waahaways and slips occurred in varioua parts of the Buller district as a result of the heavy rain yesterday, and to-day a bridge at the Island Creek loop line is in danger of being carried away. Blasting operations have been resorted-to to remove the logs which are threatening the bridge. A big washout occurred on the railway line near Birchfield, compelling a temporary suspension of railway services.