COLD AND WET WEATHER.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 26, 31 July 1899, Page 5

COLD AND WET WEATHER.

Saturday was one of the most unpleasant days experienced in Wellington this winter. Just after 4 o'clock in the afternoon a shower of hail fell that piled up on the footpaths in sufficient quantity to enable youngsters, and some people of older growth, to pelt each other. At tho Basin Reserve siding the smokers on. the tramcars were bombarded by lively urchins, and as the passengers "had not where to lio their heads" they were at the mercy of the attacking party. The sport, however, was taken by the victims in good part. To-day the sun has returned to Wellington, and the weather chart for the colony shows that lino but cold weather prevail*, at most places, sharp frosts generally being the record for the night. Tho records of the Meteorological Department show that the rainfall in Wellington for the month ending to-da^ was 6.45 inches. Ruin occurred on 21 days, the maximum fall being 1.23 inches., on the 29th iust. The average fall for the month of July in previous years has been 6.33 inches over eighteen days. The maximum temperature recorded during this month has been 57.3deg and the minimum 31deg. The General Manager of Railways has received a report fiom the District Traffic Manager in Dunedin in reference to the snowing-up of the train on the Otago Central liiio last week. The report shows that none of the cars were derailed, but a waggon got off the line. Fircß were lighted to thaw the snow, which held tho locomotive fast. The pipes of the engine were cracked by thu trost. Some cattle and horses which were on the snowed-up train were carefully looked after by the railway staff,, «nd did not suffer much from the cold. Tho train services were resumed on Friday. About 150 skatera enjoyed themselves on the ice on the Ashburton Domain late on Wednesday evening. It wua clear moonlight, and the brass band provided waltz music for the skaters. Skating was earned on till long past midnight, and was resumed at dawn by many enthusiasts, but the mild temperature on Thursday made the ice very soft and dangerous. A mail carrier in tlio Mount Somers district named T. Hix got off the track while going his rounds, and as his horse got bogged the unfortunate man was compelled to spend the night in the snow, with nothing to protect him from tho bitter weather but an old sack. When found next day he was, of course, in a pitiable plight, and almost dead from cold and exposure. Ho now lies in a critical condition at the Ashburton Hospital. Ghdbrook, in the dtago district, holds the record for cold Weather. According to tho Otago Daily Times, one of Negretti and Zambia's test 'thermometers at Gladbrook registered 27deg of frost on Monday night of last week, and at 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning 22deg of frost. On Tuesday night the thermometer registered lldeg below jsero, or 43deg of frost. Twelve inches of snow lav in the Otim Gorge in the early part of last week, and work was suspended. The Christchurcb road was blocked with snow and the coaches could not run. Mails had to be packed, and papers and book parcels sent round by sea. [BY TELIGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Mjlstketon, This Day. The rainfall in Masterton during tho month has been 3.86 inches in seventeen days.