MORE SNOW

Southland Times, Issue 25309, 12 June 1935, Page 7

MORE SNOW

NORTH CANTERBURY WORK OF REPAIRING LINES TREMENDOUS TASK (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, June 11. Rain, hail, sleet and snow returned to-day to make more difficult the task of the many repair gangs who are toiling throughout Canterbury to restore the lines of telephone and telegraphic communication damaged in the heavy snowfall of the week-end. Working at full pressure, the Post and Telegraph linesmen had succeeded this evening in establishing telegraph and telephone circuits from Christchurch to Dunedin, Greymouth and Wellington. All available linesmen from outside districts have been concentrated in Canterbury and they will be supplemented tomorrow by men from the North Island. The snowstorm to-day did not reach Christchurch and the immediate neighbourhood, but this afternoon there was heavy snow with rain and sleet at intervals in the district between Rakaia and the Rangitata river, frequently described as mid-Canter-bury. The disaster to telegraph and telephone lines is probably the most serious that has ever- occurred. Many years ago there were worse storms, but in those days there were fewer lines to break. Another heavy fall would be needed to make the disaster worse, but” bad weather would certainly hamper the work of restoration. The disorganization of telegraph and telephone lines in the country districts is still such that it is impossible to get detailed reports of to-day’s storm. At Bealey there .was five inches of snow and it was still falling at Ashburton and Methven. However, the snow ceased at sundown and the night was clear and frosty. In Christchurch tonight there is a very severe frost. Unless the weather becomes worse, the department hopes to be able tomorrow to re-establish communications with the country districts and to retain the telephone subscribers’ lines. All work being done now is temporary. Many weeks of work will be necessary to repair permanently the many miles of damaged lines. No estimate can yet be given even of the extent of the task facing the department. Supplies of emergency material kept in store in Christchurch were supplemented to-day by 10 miles of insulated wire shipped from Wellington. It was at once transported to those districts where there are long breaks in the wires. Ten miles of wire was also received from Dunedin. All the senior officers praise generously the outstanding work of the repair gangs. The men go on duty at daybreak and have worked till dark, sometimes into the night. The Railway Department’s communications are -still disorganized this evening and difficulty has been met in keeping time-tables on the West Coast line. The chief trouble was the freezing of points. A further heavy fall of snow at Arthur’s Pass last night and early this morning covered the station yard and trains on this section carried snow guards. To-day the railway difficulties were less than yesterday, and it is hoped the automatic signal systems will be restored tomorrow when normal running will be resumed.