SNOW AND HAIL

Southland Times, Issue 20586, 10 September 1928, Page 8

SNOW AND HAIL

STORMY WEEK-END WHITE COATING GENERAL LOSSES PROBABLE AMONG LAMBS On Friday the barometer fell so low that stormy weather was generally expected. Several farmers who have lived all their lives in Southland were heard to declare that they had never seen the glass so low. On Saturday the stonji broke and throughout the greater part of the province snow, hail and rain fell to the accompaniment of a violent wind. When Bunday morning dawned the ground in many districts was white with snow and more continued to fall. Towards evening, however, conditions grew less boisterous and rain showers caused the snow to disappear. Reports indicate that the fall of snow in the Eastern district was heavier than in the Western or Northern districts. There were three inches on the ground on Sunday morning and showers fell all day, interspersed with hail and rain. It was clearing a little yesterday evening. At Woodlands there was over an inch of snow on the ground yesterday. Motorists state that the greater part of the Eastern district was similarly affected. IN INVERCARGILL. Though no snow lay at Invercargill the heavy showers of hail of the first magnitude lent a white appearance to lawns and gardens and made matters most unpleasant for those who had to be out of doors. Picture-goers on Saturday evening found on leaving the theatre that they had to struggle homewards through polar conditions. Church-goers yesterday shared a similar fate. MOTORISTS’ TRIALS. Motorists had a trying time on Saturday evening, particularly those travelling between Winton and Invercargill about 7 p.m. At times the snow fell so thickly that it was impossible to see more than a yard ahead. Some drivers wisely decided to pull up till the blizzard’s fury spent itself. At least one who risked the storm nearly had cause to regret his temerity. With the blanket of driving snow obscuring the road he failed to notice a sharp turn, and going straight on he and his fellowpassengers had the disagreeable sensation of feeling the car run down a bank. It nearly capsized but righted itself and turned round to face Winton again. When the road was regained the driver proceeded much more cautiously. The snowstorm abated before midnight in this locality. The Star football team, travelling back by char-a-banc from Lumsden, had a pleasant journey relieved by snow-balling jousts en route. BAD FOR LAMBING. Although lambing is scarcely yet general in Southland there are a good many young lambs about, and those farmers who are in the middle of lambing will have an anxious time. It is not thought that losses will be very heavy, but it is too much to expect that such a severe visitation will not cause a number of deaths among new-born lambs. TRAFFIC DELAYED. SNOW BLOCKS MAIN NORTH ROAD. Unusually heavy falls of snow to the north of Balclutha delayed traffic on the main road between Invercargill and Dunedin yesterday. The whole countryside along this route between Mataura and Milton was completely and heavily coated with snow, the deapth of the fall becoming less to the south of the affected area. A party of Invercargill residents including two Southland Times reporters left Dunedin in blustery but fine conditions in the morning for the southern town. At Henley, they were informed that the road was impassable between Milton and Balclutha, another party which had essayed the trip earlier having found it necessary to return. On a later more assuring report they continued their way and encountered the first snow a few miles north of Milton. Heavier drifts were encountered after leaving the latter township and the road was covered to a depth of several inches. On the hill just north of Balclutha, however, the snow lay very deep and in parts the roadway was covered to the extent of between 18 inches and two feet. The assistanc of a farmer resident nearby had been requisitioned to assist other stranded motorists and it was necessary to cut tracks to enable cars to get through. In the early afternoon as many as a dozen cars were held up at this spot for over an hour before the road had been sufficiently cleared. Further on, drifts of up to nine inches deep were met with but these did not cause any inconvenience. Just below Balclutha a number of telegraph wires were down. The coating of snow was deep all along the road to Pukerau from which point it began to diminish in thickness. BLUFF. Weather conditions at Bluff on Saturday were very stormy and it was found necessary to postpone the Bluff-Rimu football match in the afternoon. Loading and discharging operations on the waterfront were also interrupted on several occasions during the day.