HEAVY RAIN

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 103, 5 May 1925, Page 8

HEAVY RAIN

ALMOST AN .INCH IN THE CITY

SHIPPING "INTERFERED WITH.

Although the rain which has fallen in the past few days, particularly during yesterday, has given welcome relief to farmers . and to those who depend directly upon ■ the rainfall for their water-supply, it has nevertheless been in sufficient quantities to make it unpleasant even for those who needed it urgently.

_ During the-twenty-four hours preceding -9 o'clock, this morning, .96 points, almost an inch, were recorded, and this, coming_as it did hi such heavy downpours, interfered very seriously with the attendances at the public meetings of householders for the' purpose of electing school committees. The unpleasant conditions' also had a very noticeable effect upon the "houses" at places of entertainment.- The' rainfall in Wellington has been particularly heavy, and in the past three days 1.68 inches have been recorded.

The streets in the city have been unpleasantly damp, and the usual inconvenience of .blocked drains and overflow pipes has, oE course, been experienced. ■The heavy showers have acted a's'an indication .to some shop-owners that their roofs are badly in need of repair, and people-in-search" of'shelter have in more places than;CDe been observed to show a preference for the steady downpour as compared with the annoying triackle of rust-stained water through a leaky roof. . It has been found impossible to proceed with' the loading and discharge of cargo on the waterfront, and in consequence a great -many small coastal vessels and a fjw of the laraer overseas stesmers have :been delayed. Heavy rain has been reported in other parts of the country, bat the Hawkes Bay and Westland districts appear to be enjoying reasonably pood weather "generally. Advice has been received of the flooding of some of the rivers"in the south.

Despite - tho advantages which .accompany the rain, it, is nevertheless praliiying to notice the forecast of the Dominion -Meteorologist, Mr.: D. C. Bates, that during the next thirty-six hours, there is a chance, of the disturbance passing -away, to tlie' eastward. ""' ' "The Hutt 1 River is "feeling the effect of the heavy rain, and was. at noon to-day sr' Tl° three feet above normal, and still rising.'.,. „' "" ....." ' '"■'_. ■ The.paving work on the Hutt road between Petorie and Lower Hutt is beins | .held up. Paving has bee? laid well; ..011 i to\vards.;..the,,.Hu'tt; i . Valley .Power"! Board offices from Railway" avenue) and preparatory work has been done more than half-way towards the Petone boundary. This latter'portion of the road 1.5 now in a very muddy condition, and almost impassable, and. most of the -through traffic is now-goin<; via Petone and Cuba, strept. to Lower Hutt. A_ Press "Association telegram ■ froni .Christchurcli states that a-strong southwest gale, with rain, continued 'in .Canterbury this., morning. Further floods are feared at Little River, and' the approach to Hapukn- Bridge has been washed away north of Kaikoura. .... . THE PROSPECTS. A disturbance; apparently centred off the cast coast of the South Island, has been-responsible' for'cold 'arid 'unsettled weather over the Dominion during the past twenty-four hours. The rainfall has been heavy in some districts on. the east coast of the" South Island, ;,and snow .'has; fallen :pn some of the higher/ levels. Strong southerly winds have prevailed, buti generally speaking; these have not been of particular force. In Westland, however, tire weather' has been fine, and improved weather also lias been experienced ,in Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay, though one station in the last-mentioned district, where rain has been urgently needed for, some time, reported to-day that'a beneficial downfall of thirty points had been registered. In Wellington,' 96 points' were registered up ti11,9 o'clock.this morning, making a total of 1.68 inches for the" past three days. At "Fbxtbn*llß" points of rain were registered, 83 points at Wanganui, : two /points ,-at Wcstport,', : arid' only 20 points at Arthur's Pass.

..The forecast issued by the Dominion Meteorologist, Mr: D.: C: Bates, is-for moderate to strong southerly winds, squally at times north of New Plymouth and Castlepoint, but, strong to gale from the ■■ south-east, elsewhere. The weather is likely to tie cold,and damp, with rain ;probable in most parts, and snow in the higher country-in the South. Another very cold night is to be expected. Seas are likely to be. rather rough north of New Plymouth and Castlepoint, and heavy in most parts of the country elsewhere. The barometer is due to rise everywhere, and the disturbance: will probably pass away to the eastward during the course.of thirty-six days. 'The weather, however, may improve before then. " ■. ..-■.;