SOUTHERLY GALES

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 September 1936, Page 2

SOUTHERLY GALES

ANOTHER WET WEEKEND. Southerly winds, reaching gale force at times, and accompanied by intermittent but heavy rain, again made outdoor conditions unpleasant ovei the week-end. and necessitated the cancellation of a number ot the spoiling fixtures, There was. however, practically no damage and the total rainfall in the coastal area was light, although heavier in the ranges. The showers commenced on Saturday morning, temperatures dropping with snow in the high country, and continued until a late hour last night. Northerly winds early yesterday morning brought a heavy downpour of rain, but there was a sudden change to south-west later, and the wind continued from this direction all day, a heavy shower at noon being followed by another downpour at .*.30 p.m. The rainfall for the 48 hours ended. 9 o'clock this morning' was only 111 points at Greymouth, although it must have been much heavier inland as a moderate fresh. of seven knots, was running in the Grey River this morning.

The chief sufferers through yesterday's unpleasant conditions were the G6O passengers who travelled by the Rugby League excursion trains from Christchurch. Owing to tho state of the grounds, eight of the ten League teams who were on the train went back without a game, all of the friendly fixtures in the Grey district being cancelled. At Hokitika and Reefton conditions were equally as bad, and the excursion proved to be one of the most unlucky that has yet come to the West. Coast, so far as weather was concerned. Play was also rendered impossible on the Kaiata golf links, and as a result the opening matches of the Greymouth Golf Club’s championship had to be postponed, although a number of the competitors had already commenced play. Communications wore only slightly affected by the high winds, the Post and Telegraph Department having two lines lost between Greymouth •and Otira, although this did not affect the continuity of the service. The Railways Department telegraph system was not affected. Minor damage was done to gardens in town, and sevi eral wireless poles were blown down. The cold winds resulted in the loss of a, few lambs in various parts of the district, but as a whole they weathered the storm well. The- heavy seas which always accompany south-westerly weather rendered shipping movements impossible at Greymouth, and two vessels, the Kiwitea, and Karepo have been barbound since. Thursday last, although several of the smaller class of coastal traders were able to work the bar on Saturday, and again at noon yesterday. The small motor ship, Hawera, was not so fortunate, however, as she lias been buffeted along the const for a whole week, en route fiom Wellington. On Saturday, she put into Westport for provisions, and with the northerly wind yesterday morning she came on to Greymouth. By the time that she reached the Greymouth icadstead, however, the wind had .swung round to the south, and the bar was unworkable, and she was forced to spend last night in the roadstead, receiving' a severe buffeting by the high seas. She is still in the roadstead, the bar remaining unworkable to-day, despite the change in the weather. The wrecked .Abel Tasman was severely raked by the seas, but she is standing up remarkably well, and does not appear to have suffered much additional damage. In Reefton (reports the “Star" correspondent) heavy, steady rain fell dining the week-end. and there is still a heavy coating of snow on the ranges. Yesterday was miserable, with a bitterly cold wind, and the excursionists from Christchurch were treated to a sample of West Coast weather -at its worst.

wore the same hat for 20 years. He was so happy at the success of his marriage that before work each day he seized his wife and danced a crazy mazurka around the parlour. Borodin’s house was full of stray cats, and the poor music students to v. horn lie offered hospitality were so numerous that often they slept on I sofas or on the floor. Frequently he 'was debarred from using the piano for fear of waking them. ' Balakire, the mathematician, was influenced by soothsayers, and in every room in his house lights burned in front of holy images.

Alexander Scriabin, who added visual colour to music, was always in fear of losing his hair, and caused a sensation in Paris by going about without a hat in days when hatless brigades were unknown. Crowds of laughing urchins pursued him in the streets, and his domestic shampooing was always an elaborate ceremony,