A HEAVY AUGUST FOG.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15073, 16 August 1912, Page 8

A HEAVY AUGUST FOG.

SHIPPING DELAYED.

MINOR MISHAPS'ON SHORE.

Thick, black fog—the thickest and blackest for many years*—intermittently enveloped the city and harbour yesterday, and caused Cm masters of nil eorts of craft a, most anxious time. The worst period on the harbour way between noon and 2.30 lit.. and it. was then that the. ferry services wen- threatened with disorganisation. With slow and careful going, however, the various time-tables were, fairly well kept, and there was no mishap to any of tin- boats. Tin- Union Steamship Company's Navna, from Southern ports, found the weather in the channel too thick to proceed, and she anchored off Rangitoto, near the beacon, tor over four hours. The sugar vessel Fiona found it even mom difficult to negotiate the harbour, mid she also ar.c-liore<l*for tin; be* Ipart of the day in Hie channel. The fog cleared shortly after three p.m.. and both vessels were then able, to runic into port.

The Northern Steamship Company's Wakaterc had a. most unpleasant trip from the Thames. The fog was extremely dense in the Cult", and tho steamer made the. journey at slow speed, taking double her usual time.

Traffic in the citv was not very seriously hindered by the fog. but .it. one period of the day. between two p.m. and 2.30 p.m.. drivers of all sorts ot vehicles had to exercise, extreme 'are. in proceeding along the streets. The, fog seems to have been much heavier in tho higher suburban districts, and one or two slight mishaps are reported. In the early afternoon a, baker's cart came into collision with a telegraph pole in Khyber Pass, but. fortunately; only slight damage was done to the vehicle, while neither the driver nor the horse was injured. A motor-car and cab came into collision near the. corner of Symondx-strect and Khyber Pass, but the rah was only slightly damaged. Heavy rain fell in the city last evening.

MORE THICK WEATHER THAN

FORMERLY.

A FERRY CAPTAINS VIEWS

'" My eyes are sore with staring through the fog." said the captain. A Herald representative was allowed to chat to him, as he took his ship slowly over the harbour yesterday. " What ha* come over the place I don't know. I've never known so many fogs and thick, hazy days since I first worked on this harbour. I've been thanking Providence all day that they do not ask a. man to stick to hie time-table to the minute. How the skippers on the Sydney ferries get along I do not know, for the fogs they are having there are even ■worse than these.

"That's a .strange bell over there," he said suddenly, and he signalled down " Stop!" He stared Through the fog for a minute or so. " That's the sugar boat coming up," he said. "If you listen when you get on the other side you'll hear the Navua's horn in the channel. It must be bad out there, and"—with a glance to the north-east"it's going to be a dirty, thick night."