WORST SNOWFALL FOR 20 YEARS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 260, 1 August 1939, Page 10

WORST SNOWFALL FOR 20 YEARS

Canterbury Suffers In Severe Storm WEST COAST TRAINS DELAYED Heavy Losses Of Stock Feared By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH July 31. A phenomenal snowfall, the worst since 1918, today seriously delayed all rail traffic on the east coast section of the Midland line from Darfield to Arthur’s Pass. The whole country was under snow, and from Cass to the Pass trains had to plough, making slow progress, through snow feet deep. Later in the afternoon, when the snow froze, railwaymen at Artnui s Pass had an exceptionally arciuotis iob clearing tracks with hand shoyels for the trains to get through. Both expresses were delayed for more than an hour, and later in the day when a relief tram containing the General Manager of Railways, Mr. G. 11. Mackley, and a party of officials as well as a representative of the Press, tried to get through, the last 16 miles to the Pass took more than three hours. The last mile was the worst. Even when the snow was cleared from them, the rails were slippery as glass, and in the end it took two electric engines from the Pass and two steam engines to get the small relief train over the small section. Flame-throwers were in continuous use to clear frozen points. Goods trains were hours late. A railcar, took more than three hours on a small section near Arthur’s Pass. At the Pass the depth of snow was about four feet, and, in drifts, where a strong wind piled it, it was many feet deep. .. At. Halpin Creek, some nines on tnc Christchurch side of the pass, a relief train earlier in the day failed completelv to push its way through the heavy snow, and it had to be assisted bj a goods train which cam? along later. Heavy snow was still falling tonight from Cass almost to the pass, though there were lulls in the weather at the Pa ,Stock*losses from Sheffield West are thought to be extremely heavy, and many sheep can be seen from the railway - line huddled for protection from .the" driving snow where they can find shelter. „ „ Lake Sarah, near Staircase Gully, where the fall has b:<m particularly heavy, is completely frozen over. Roads Blocked. As a result of the storm, communication with the West Coast by road was cut oil yesterday. Six inches of snow blocked the Akirroa Road this morning, but it was cleared with a grad-. 1. Though the road is open, only cars on urgent business tire .permitted to pass by Milin Highways Board inspectors, and chains are compulsory. Three feet of snow blocks the West Coast Road, while the Lewis Pass route is also closed at Birdlings Flat. A foot of water covers the Akaroa Road, but a detour through paddocks has been mark-, d.

'The Main South Road is clear to Invercargill, but care is needed on Mount Cargill and Kilmog. Heavy losses of stock are reported from Banks Peninsula, and it is expected that the approaching lambing season will be disastrous for farmers. Sheep, already weak through lack of food in the autumn, are suffering severely because of the storm. The full loss will not bo known for weeks till the heavy drifts are cleared. Tlie rainfall in Christchurch for July was the h-.-aviest on record, totalling 8.55 in. to 9.30 a.m. today. The previous best was 7.937, recorded in December, 1902. Though tlie year’s rainfall now totals 14.6 in., it is a long way short of last year’s figure at the same date of 22.67 in. SOUTHLAND’S PLIGHT Flocks In Northern Area Suffer Heavily By Telegraph—Press Association INVERCARGILL, July 31. With between two and three feet of snow still on the ground and a heavy frost, runholders in the northern part of Southland are facing very heavy stock losses. One station owner said tonight that he would not be surprised if half of the flocks w-.-re lost. It will not be possible for any accurate estimate to ire made till shepherds are able to go out to the snowed-in flocks. Most station owners have been able to feed hoggets by band, but the rest of the sheep have received no attention. PLANES HELD UP Moored In The Open At Blenheim By Telegraph—Press Association BLENHEIM, July 31. Four Air Force bombers, en route from Palmerston North to Christchurch, remained at Blenheim overnight as a result of snow at Wigram The planes were moored in the open, and the crews bad a somewhat anxious night on account of the high wind, which caused one to break partial!} adrift.

Snow fell on tlie flat at Blenheim last night for the first time for five years, but by this morning it had practically disappeared. It was a stormy night, witli heavy wind and rain. Snow ranging in depth from an inch to a foot is reported from back country stations.

One of the heaviest fails occurred near Rai Valley and on the Wanga moa Hill, midway between Blenheim and Nelson, where main highway traf fie was delayed for upward of an hour this morning while a public works bulldozer cleared the road for about half a mile There were also heavy falls on the Blenheim-West Coast road over Tophouse, but though the route carried heavy traffic during the week end for the Seddon Shield Rugby matflh at Westport, no serious interruptions occurred. All outlying districts

report falls of snow, but no damage. Today there was fitful sunshine, inter spersed with rain and sleet. Tlie steamer Gabriella, bound from Newcastle ty Wanganui, is sheltering in Queen Charlotte Sound because of the stormy conditions making Wangauui unworkable.