Dunedin Marooned by Snow

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 175, 27 July 1939, Page 7

Dunedin Marooned by Snow

Food Supplies Seriously Disrupted

TRANSPORT PARALYSED FARMERS TACE HEAVY LOSSES Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, July 26. Dunedin was a silent ghost city this morning in the vice-like grip of a foot or more of frozen snow which continued falling intermittently. The whole city is completely disorganised and the streets are empty and deserted. The initial thrill experienced by many when the snow commenced to fall early on Monday afternoon has now turned to one of dismay, for tho position is really serious. It could be little worse even though further snow fell. The transport system partially dislocated yesterday is wholly out of action to day, only a few buses, totally inadequate to cope with requirements of a city of this size, being on tho streets. Possibly the most serious result of the present blizzard is tho inability of tradespeople to distribute efficiently foodstuffs such as bread and milk. Those people living on tho flats where innumerable small stores are to be found are better off than residents living at a distance and on the hills. Worst of all is the distribution of milk and mothers with babies are having a worrying time endeavouring to get supplies at noarby dairies. Farmers have an unenviablo time under any typo of snow conditions in their attention to their many duties, but the visitation of this week has paralysed their industry. Yesterday the great bulk of them had to dig their way out and the milk deliveries were hours late. This morning the position was infinitely worse. Bakers have experienced the same acute difficulties and only those people who can call for bread have been sure of: getting supplies. Although every endeavour has been made to deliver where at all possible. It has been no uncommon sight during the past two days to see tradesmen’s vans with chains clanking and wheels spinning valiantly en deavourig to “buck” the snow. There is a limit to what may be attempted aud achieved and that limit has just about been reached. If conditions do not rapidly improve a serious position is likely to arise. Not only is the position bad in the individual home but hospitals and other institutions are meeting with difficulty. The Hospital Board, for instance, cannot get supplies to its subsidiary institution up at Wakari by the usual methods and has called upon the Students’ Association to volunteer to take up supplies this afternoon. This was done, the young men dragging the necessaries up the hill by sledge, etc. With over a foot of snow on the flat and almost two feet on the hill districts the city transport services were practically at a standstill with only a few trams and buses coping with the comparatively few residents requiring transport. Yesterday the trains leaving Dunedin were unable to make progress through the snow drifts north and south of the city, and those wishing to travel were not allowed to proceed far on their journeys. None of the expresses due to arrive in Dunedin were able to get through and had to return to Invercargill in the case of the northbound express and to Oamaru in the case of the 4.1 S express from the north. The suburban train (services were abandoned, only two trips to Port Chalmers aud two to Mosgiel being made all day. The city was also cut off by road, Mount Cargill being impassable and the Main South highway being blocked by heavy drifts of snow south of Mosgiel. Minor roads t.o tho city were also blocked by several feet of sno^y. The weight of snow on verandahs and skylights caused a fair amount of damage in the city and several lengths of spouting and piping were torn away by minor avalanches of snow. It is expected that plumbers will experience a particularly busy period during the next few days in dealing with damaged roofs, torn spouting, burst cisterns and especially leaks caused by the thawing snow.

But thero was a large section of the public that could not treat Dunedin’s plight seriously and consequently winter sports attracted throngs of people both young and old. From early morn until a late hour to-night tobogganists had great sport on the steep streets of the city and the more gentle slopes attracting numerous ski-ers. Snowballing was rife throughout the city arid the making of snow men and other fantastic creatures kept many hands busy.