HIGHWAYS BLOCKED.

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

HIGHWAYS BLOCKED.

I PENINSULA LASHED BY STORM. Per Press Association. j CHRISTCHURCH, July 31. | Sweeping the whole of the province the seeoiul severe storm' within a week Cut off communication with the West Const by road yesterday and again lashed Banks Peninsula. Six inches of snow blocked the Akaroa Road this morning, but it was cleared with a grader. AVliiilo the road is open, only eai> on urgent business are permitted t' pass by the Main Highways Board inspectors, and chains are compulsory. Three feet of snow blocks the West Coa'st road, while the Lewis Pass rout is also closed at Birdling's flat. A foot of water covers the Akaroa Road, but a detour through paddocks has been marked. The Main South Road is clear to Invercargill, but care is needed on Mount Cargill and Kilmog. Heavy losses of stock are reported from Banks Peninsula, and it is expected that the approaching lambing season will be disastrous to farmers. The sheep, already weak through lack of food in the autumn, are suffering severely because of the storm. The full loss will not be known for weeks until the heavv drifts are cleared. The rainfall in Christcburch for July was the heaviest on record, totalling 8.54 in to 9.30 a.m. to-day. The previous best was 7.937 in, recorded for December, 1902. The snow in the citv was followod by a frost of S.Sdcg. Though the yaer's rainfall now totals l<J.6in, it is a long way short of last year's figure at the same date of 22.C7in.