THE WEATHER

Evening Star, Issue 13090, 24 October 1908, Page 6

THE WEATHER

The continuous rain for the last couple *of days is in accordance with local weather traditions, and, unless too prolonged, will do a power of good to the country. For years past we have had heavy October rains succeeding a stretch of something like summer weather occurring in early spring. Without being particularly heavy at any one period, this rain has been very steady. Last night the downpour was most copious, and between nine o’clock last night and nine o’clock this morning the fall, as registered by the Drainage Board’s gauge at Musselburgh, was .63in. far i lO damage by flood has been reported. The South Dunedin Flat has never before shown such slight effects from continued rain. The reason is that the staff of the Drainage Board have completed the lengthy task of cleaning out all the stormwater channels, some of which were found to be so choked with mud and silt that it is a wonder the water ever got away before. Their outlets on to the sewer line have had both bottoms and sides timbered, and the flood gates have been attended to every tide. The result is that only a very little water is lying about the lowest or original levels of the Flati and the ditches are not even full. At the pumping station the discharge from the main sewer was easily coped with. The water was allowed to gather in the well for a time, but a "short run by both pumps together speedily reduced it, and for most of the time one pump is found sufficient. The Taieri Plain has had its share of the downfall. Word was received from the station-masters at Allanton, Henley, and Waihola at 11 a.m. to-day that continuous rain for two days was making things very wet, but there was no appreciable rise in the river. Very probably the disappearance of snow from the high country in the Taieri watershed some time ago is the reason why the strean has not become swollen to any extent this time. So far the Railway Traffic Department has not received word of any slips, subsidences, or overflow;, on the railways. About the City a few very minor slips are reported from the Caver-sham and South Dunedin end of the town. Mr Paulin’s forecast Squally S.W. winds and heavy rain.