SCORCHING HEAT

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 80, 29 December 1930, Page 8

SCORCHING HEAT

Christchurch Suffers FAINTING IN CHURCH Bathing TiU Midnight By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, December 28. The hottest weather of this summer—indeed, the hottest spell for several years—has been experienced by Christchurch over the week-end. On Friday a hot nor’-west wind blew but the sky was overcast and the weather was sultry and very oppressive, without very intense heat. On Saturday the wind increased in velocity and was of scorching heat, while the sun blazed relentlessly from a clear sky. At 10 o’clock the temperature was 85 in the shade, and the maximum heat was reached at 2 p.m.— 89.9 degrees. At 5.30 o’clock the thermometer still showed 85. To-day the weather is still hot, but the air was slightly cooled by a light south-west breeze. On Saturday there were many collapses at the tennis tourney, and the heat certainly affected the results of important matches. Miss Nicholls, the New Zealand champion, collapsed exhausted; Miss Wake had a slight heat stroke or sunstroke, and her partner, Miss M. Andrew, was also ill as the result of exertion and the heat. Many other players of less distinction suffered acute distress, abandoning their games. This morning several women fainted during the cathedral service. At the cricket match yesterday and at the broadsiding in the evening numbers of male spectators discarded their coats, watching the events in shirt sleeves. All beaches were thronged all day. At Brighton bathers were in the water until midnight.

85 IN THE SHADE Conditions at Masterton Dominion Special Service. Masterton, December 28. The hottest weather this summer was experienced in the Wairarapa during the week-end. At Masterton on Friday the temperature was 85 degrees in the shade, and on Saturday the thermometer registered 94 degrees, and to-day the temperature was 95.2. Cloudless skies, sweltering heat, and hot, dry breezes were a contrast to the wintry conditions which have been delaying shearing and hampering farmers lately. All the rivers are very low. FINE AND HOT WEEK-END Weather for Holidaymakers Although the sky was overcast on Saturday morning the sun came out about mid-day and the afternoon was sunny and hot, with a brisk northerly breeze. It clouded over at nightfall but yesterday was brilliantly sunny with ,a very light northerly. There was a continuation of ideal summer weather at Auckland during the week-end. The wind was light southwest on Saturday and light north-east yesterday. The barometer last evening registered 30.10 in. \ The weather at Christchurch over the week-end was fine and hot. A northwest wind raised the temperature on Saturday to 89.9 degrees, causing much discomfort. Yesterday was . cooler, though the wind was still blowing from the north-west. The barometer, which usually falls very low with the wind in the quarter named, was steady at 29.95. • The weather was fine and very warm at Dunedin on Saturday, with a light wind from the north-east. Yesterday was almost dead calm with a few warm showers tn the afternoon. The barometer was high and steady at 29.80 in.