MARLBOROUGH STORM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 205, 31 July 1939, Page 9

MARLBOROUGH STORM.

WILD NIGHT EXPERIENCED. I Per Press Association. j BLENHEIM, Julv 31. ! Snow fell on the flat hero last night ! for the first time in five years, but by this morning it had practically disappeared. It was a wild stormy night, I with heavy winds and rain, and resiI dents were not surprised on rising to | see the heaviest mantle for years" on the surrounding hills and mountains. Snow ranging in depth from an inch to a foot is reported from back country stations. One of the heaviest falls occurred near Rai Valley, and on j Wangamoa Hill. midway between Blenheim and Nelson, where the main highway traffic was delayed for upwards of an hour this morning while a Public Works Department bulldozer cleared the road for about half a mile. There were also heavy falls on the Blenheim-West Coast Boad, over Tophouse, but though the route carried heavy traffic during the week-end for the Seddon Shield' Rugby match at Westport no serious interruptions occurred. All the outlying districts report falls of..snow, but no damage. To-day there was fitful sunshine in-tersoerse-d with rain and sleet. The steamer Gabriella, bound from Newcastle to Wanganui, is sheltering in Oueen Charlotte Sound on account of the stormy conditions. The Air Force bombers en route from Palmerston North to Cliristehurcli remained here overnight as a result of snow at Wigram. The 'planes picketed were in the open and their crews had a somewhat anxious night on account of the high wind, whWi caused one to break partly adrift.