BLISTERING HEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21755, 21 March 1934, Page 18

BLISTERING HEAT

AUSTRALIAN WEATHER

CONDITIONS IN MELBOURNE MANY PEOPLE COLLAPSE [FROM OUR OWN CORRKSPONDKVr] SYDNEY. March 15 According to cable messages published in Sydney, New Zealand recently experienced bitterly cold weather, with hail. As Australians read that message they must have wished that some of the hail could descend on their sunridden country. For days and days the whole of Australia lias sweltered under cruel heat —a blistering sun which has sent temperatures soaring above the century. Even after sunset there was no relief, for the humidity has been extraordinarily high, making conditions extremely uncomfortable. Such spells of trying weather are few and far between, and it is well for Australians that it should be so. Sydney has been saved the worst heat on account of a breeze off the sea. but Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth have beou less fortunate. In Melbourne for seven days in succession the temperature has been more than 100.

Scores of people in Melbourne - have been affected by the terrible heat, and on Sunday so many collapsed that the ambulances had a call, on the average, ever}* three minutes. Men and women were rushed to hospital and to doctors and had to be revived with ice water and by other means. So great was tho demand for ice in Melbourne and Adelaide that supplies gave out. The thirst of the population in these cities was tremendous. It is said that the conditions in Adelaide have been equal to those usually experienced in tho Bod Sea. An Untimely Storm • On Sunday •it was so hot in Melbourne that thousands of people would not go to bed. Scores slept in the parks, and just before 3 a.m. they were caught napping, for a violent storm occurred, and there - was a general rush for shelter. Ihunder and lightning were features of that untimely storm, and everyone thought that the air would be cleared and that more comfortable days would follow. But the rain only increased the humidity, and made conditions even more uncomfortable than thev were.

The heat received official notice in the Federal Arbitration Court. When they took their seats in the basic wage case the three Judges, for the firsttime in the history of the Court, removed their wigs and placed them on the Bench beside them. Addressing the only barrister in the Court the Chief Judge said: "Would you like to discard your top-hamper?" The barrister smilingly removed his "wig. and the Chief Judge added: "I think the gowns and bands an excellent idea, but the wig is an abomination." Demand for Ice

The heat has completely disorganised general business in Melbourne. During the week-end. thousands of cases of bananas stacked in the Melbourne markets were ruined. The demand for vegetables for cooking has been almost nil for days on end, and the growers have lost heavily. The price of peas and beans dropped to about 2s a 501b. bag and cabbages were but 2s 6d a dozen, and hard to sell at that. Most fruit and salad vegetables, however, were in keen demand.

Of course, the ice cream manufacturers reported record sales. The great plants found difficulty in complying with all the orders. Ice factories also worked overtime, and it is estimated that last week Melbourne used 3000 tons of ice. In normal weather the demand would be for about half that quantity. The hotels and the drink sho'p3 were besieged with customers, all anxious for something off the ice. Last week, at the fruit drink stalls of Melbourne railway stations the number of drinks totalled more than 80,000. Milk bars in the city are selling 1000 quarts daily, and the demand for milk has been so great that it has exceeded the supply. There was a great demand for light beers, but the breweries had no difficulty in meeting it.