HEAVY SNOWFALL

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 143, 20 June 1938, Page 10

HEAVY SNOWFALL

MACKENZIE COUNTRY

WORST FOR NINE YEARS

I The worst snowfall for nine years (threatens the Mackenzie Country with an exceptionally cold winter, states the Geraldine correspondent of the "Press" (Christchurch). Runholders are all busy, "snowraking" in an effort to bring their sheep to safe ground nearer the homesteads, and thousands of sheep will be brought down ' the country to safer winter pastures during the next few days.

Because of this likely exodus of sheep which will keep the Mackenzie roads busy for a time, the Mackenzie County Engineer (Mr. J. F. D. Jeune) has issued an appeal to motorists to make things as easy as possible for the drovers, who will be working under very trying conditions. "Motorists are advised that unless it is essential to use up-country roads it would be better for their own purposes and for the care of the stock if such trips are left till later," stated Mr. Jeune's appeal. "The snow will be in the Mackenzie all the winter.

THIRTY DEGREES OF FROST. Runholders were asked in the appeal to co-operate with the Mackenzie County office, with a view to advising the days they will be on the road. They are advised to get out quickly, because the roads will be worse through the drifts when the wind rises. Thirty degrees of frost were reported from Tekapo on Friday morning. A representative of the "Press" spoke by telephone to "Braemar" in the heart of the Mackenzie Country on Friday. It was learned that snow, ranged in depth in that area from four inches to two feet, with drifts up to five feet deep. It was the first time for years that school children in that locality had not been able to attend school because of the snow. The snow-plough from the station had met the county plough and the road was now clear, but the drifts were so high in some places that they reached the tops of the fences, and it was difficult to open gates. All the menfolk in the locality were busily engaged in snowraking to bring the sheep out, but no heavy loss of sheep was expected, the thawing time being more dangerous [than the present.

WATCHING FOR A THAW. The number of sheep that will be brought down from the back country will depend on the weather in the next few days. Mr. T. D. Burnett, M.P., a well-known Mackenzie runholder, said that the number would be larger if there was no thaw. The runholders would have been much more ready to send their young sheep downcountry earlier than this if it had not been for the worm menace, which is particularly bad in South Canterbury this year. In many cases runholders were prepared to take the risk of snow rather than face the more certain risk of the deadly worm menace, which has (assumed most serious proportions during the last twelve months.

Many runholders have brought their own tractors into use to open up tracks to the snow camps where the sheep gather in mobs when the snow is falling. A feature of the snow conditions in the Mackenzie were the deep drifts.

Frost recordings in the Geraldine County on Friday included 24deg at Coal Hill, and 14deg at Mount Harper, in the Rangitata Gorge. At Geraldine 10i degrees were recorded.