STILL MORE SNOW

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23885, 12 August 1939, Page 19

STILL MORE SNOW

LIGHT FALL IN CITY MANIOTOTO DISTRICT AGAIN SUFFERS NO SERIOUS RESULTS When snow is a novelty it is usually popular with most people, but when snow began to fall in Dunedin yesterday morning residents’ thoughts went quickly back to last month’s storm and they dreaded another heavy fall and possible isolation. Up to late last night, the snow had not settled on the city area, although the surrounding hills received another generous coating. Yesterday’s snow storm was evidently centred in the Maniototo district. for up to seven Inches was reported at 9 o’clock from various places, and it was still snowing heavily late last night. Although there Is three or four inches of snow on the road over Mount Cargill and on portions of the Pigroot, all main routes are clear Graders are keeping the road clear on Mount Cargill, and there are several graders, lorries with drags and a snow plough on the Pigroot. It is expected that this route to Central Otago will be clear to-dav. but it may be blocked to-morrow. If so. it is expected that it will be passable again on Monday The Outram-Middlemarch highway is clear, but the surface is in a bad state and motorists need to exercise extreme care. The Milton-Alexandra route is clear, and the Lindis Pass is open. Heavy Fall In Maniototo A heavy fall of snow has been experienced in ♦’ e Maniototo district, and late last night there was no sign of the snow abating. At 9 p.m. there were three inches of snow at Ranfurly five at Patearoa and seven at Oturehua A further seven inches, of snow fell on top of the foot of the old snow at Styx. Up to late last night, however, there were no serious results of the storm. The position of the settlers in the Styx district has been greatly improved during the past few days, and it is doubtful if the present fall of snow will affect them to any great extent. On Tuesday the most isolated settler in the district was reached by the gnow plough, and it is doubtful u there Is any farmer at all cut off by snow at the present time. Access to some properties is still of course, dlmcult. partly on account of snow and partly because the recent thaw has made back roads extremely muddy. The plight of the Walpori township Is not as serious as a few days ago. for the recent thaw has made it much less difficult to take pack-horses through the snow. A party will leave the power station to-day with 9 a quantity of supplies for the township. Very little snow fell in the Walpori district yesterday. Mortality Among Sheep Farmers in the Styx district who have been able to • carry out an inspection of their properties stated yesterday that the loss of sheep through the heavy snowstorm is not nearly so serious as was at first expected One farmer on the Styx Flat has saved every ewe. but he may lose a few hoggets on the high country. This settler states that the recent storm was the heaviest he can remember on the Styx Flat since 1908. The mortality among sheep in the Kyeburn district is reported to be very heavy It snowed there heavily all yesterda.y. and it is expected that many of the marooned sheen that might have had a chance of surviving will succumb as a result of .the present storm. If the sheep do survive, farmers expect that they will suffer a serious loss on account of the effect of the snow on the wool. The heaviest mortality Is renorted from the back country of St. Bathan’s. where the loss is stated to be very serious.