Heaviest Snowfall For 50 Years

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 174, 26 July 1939, Page 5

Heaviest Snowfall For 50 Years

Dunedin’s Business Life Dislocated EXTRAORDINARY SCENES IN CITY STREETS Per Press Association, DUNEDIN, July 25. Tho normal life of Duueclin citizens wa3 almost completely dislocated to-day by what is considered to be the heaviest fall of snow that the city lias experienced in 30 years. Residents awoke to find the ground covered to a depth of four or five inches on the lower levels and up to nine inches in the hill areas. This in itself was an exceptional experience but falls continued at interval® throughout the day until there was over a foot of snow in some areas.

Later in the afternoon the snow became heavier and falls were frequeit with the result that the city and surrounding country now lie under an increasingly heavy mantle of white. A continuation of such conditions may result in the city facing a threat of isolation. Tho trains ran normally to-day, however, and iu urgent cases motorists were able safely to negotiate the Main North and South Roads.

Tlie realisation of the extent to which such a visitation may affect business and private life must have come as a surprise to almost everyone. The whole atmosphere of city life underwent a sudden change. Transport was comipletely disorganised, schools wero I closed, shoppers in the city' fell away to a mere fraction of the usual numbers and the streets which are normally filled by rushing motor traffic carried only a few cars travelling at a snail’s pace. The fact that cars were held up everywhere despite .the caution of the drivers bore testimony to the treacherous condition of the road surfaces and the depth of the drifts in which many found themselves securely held.

Hill residents and many on the flat areas who found themselves deprived of the usual early morning transport services ploughed their way through snow almost up lo their knees in places and arrived at their places of work long past the routine starting hour.

Everywhere out of doors normal movement was impeded and a large army of workmen strove throughout the day in an effort to cope with tho hopeless task of restoring normal road conditions. The soft blanket of white had the effect of muffling the normal citynoises and of accentuating those sounds which arise as a result of the atmosphere of excitement which the novelty of tho conditions created.

The difficulties and inconvenience which the conditions imposed were generally accepted with infectious cheerfulness ami everyone strove to extract as much amusement as possible from the situation. Tho result was such extraordinary scenes as young people in winter sports attire speeding down the steeper city streets on skis and a motorcar trailing through tho city a toboggan carrying half a dozen young men. Snowballing from side to side of the city’s main thoroughfare was one of the novel sights that the day provided. The telegraphic service worked efficiently despite the severe weather conditions. Heavy snow at the airport was reported by the city electrical engineer who stated that a careful watch was being kept on the power lines leading to the city. No difficulty was anticipated unless the weather conditions changed for the worse. Shipping was held up to-day as a result of the weather, no labour being available on the waterfront. Only one ship, the Canterbury Shipping Company’s motor vessel Storm, was duo today and she arrived on time. Tho ships delayed were those already in port and various departures set down for to-day and to-morrow had to be postponed. The whole of tho City Corporation’s staff was engaged all day to-day and throughout to-night in trying to clear the snow from the principal streets. The three graders of tho council and two hired ones worked unceasingly clearing the snow off tho main routes and men wero grouped at the intersection shovelling snow into lorries. Throughout to-night the graders kept at the huge task of clearing the main routes on the fiat for traffic and scores of men assisted in an endeavour to make the roads safe for motor-vehicle and tram to-morrow morning.