MUCH SNOW DAMAGE

Grey River Argus, 11 June 1935, Page 5

MUCH SNOW DAMAGE

CANTERBURY STORM Telegraph and Power Lines COLLAPSE FOR MANY MILES. (P(*r Prpss Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 10. There has been a snowstorm in Canterbury which has caused a dislocation of the telephone and telegraph services that is without precedent in the history of the P. and T. Department in Canterbury. The storm was not accompanied by any wind, so that no wires or poles were blown down; but by the pressure, the snow on the cables and wires, bent the steel poles, where they were used, into fantastic shapes and also broke the wires or broke the hardwood poles. In one place on the west line, ten miles of line was completely wrecked. The permanent repairs may occupy months, but temporary repairs are being rushed.

To-night, telegraphic contact was made with Wellington for the first time at about 8.30. Apart from this very serious damage to the lines, no very serious damage has been done. There are stories from all parts of motoring and tramping parties being benighted in the storm, and being held up on the roads by deep snow or by failing engine ignition, but all have arrived safely at their destinations, though many of them were twelve hours late.

The trains were delayed as a matter of course on some lines, and notably al Springfield. The depth of snow there was two feet on the lines.

Owing to the breaking of the power lines some districts were without power. but most of these failures were near the city, and all were repaired early to-day.

The districts affected were confined to the immediate vicinity of the breaks in north west of the city. To-day was brilliantly fine all over the province, with a warm sun reflected from the snowy landscape and a cloudless sky. To-night there is a hard frost, which will delay the melting of tlie snow. (■'IIRISTCIH'IiCH. June 10-.

After the heaviest snowfall in the province for three years, communication is gradually being restored with the outlying districts, -though up noon, Leestou, Lincoln, Little River, and Akaroa were still eld off. ” n many roads near Little River, the drifts are four feet deep in places. The worst damage was on the Mid land road. At Waddington, the snow v.ns knee deep. A party of motorists returning to the city had to use spades and shovels to dig a track for the car. All the power lines were down. Near Yaldhurst Hotel, on the main road to tile west, big wooden poles snapped off like matches, and big steel bridge poles bent like willows. The actual power lines were terribly damaged, and are lying across the road. Motorists were'forced to drive over them. At other parts, cars had to be abanuonefl. This was the fate of several ears, even in the Fendalton suburb, where the snow was thickest in the city. To-day is brighl ami fine. AUCKLAND STORM. LIGHTNING DAM AGE. AUCKLAND, .Turn* 10. A't the 'height of the storm night, lightning struck a house in the Mount Wellington district. and a chimney was hurled in pieces through the roof into a room, demolishing an open fireplace. Every! hing electrical in tihe house was burnt out, and the hous'e caught fire. There was two families of eight persons in al! in the house, but nobody was hurt.

To-day the fireplace* end of the room, .looked as if it 'had been struck by a shelJ. The switchboard in another room was shattered in pieces and ithe electric s'tove looked as if it had been through fire. In the cowshed, about two chains from the house, the switchboard was blown out, and part of it was blown through a small clock, which stood on the shelf, eight feet away. The occupants of the house were all in bed at the time, and the first one woman knew was on seeing a sheet of blue flame, and hearing a terrific crash. After finding the children unhurt. she and the other adults exti guished the fire- with buckets of water. THAMES. June 10.

The worst electrical storm experienced in Thames within living memory, raged over the district for more than half-an-hour, from 9.45 last night. Exceptionally vivid and continuous flashes of lightning, heavy roll of thunder and deluge of rain and hail alarmed many residents, particularly when the lightning caused the failure of the power supply. During its height the whole town was illuminated by flashes. The storm passed as rapidlv as it came. The power supply was restored within an hour, except for one portion served by a sub-station which was put out of action by lightning. Despite the intensity of the storm, no report of serious damage or casualties have been received.