KAWARAU GOLD CLAIMS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1927, Page 14

KAWARAU GOLD CLAIMS

RIVER CONTINUES TO FALL. SEVERE FROSTS ASSIST. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, June 21. A report from Cromwell says that hard frost still prevails with increasing severity, and is steadily reducing the level of water in the river. The townsfolk this morning witnessed the novelty of vast sheets of ice floating in the stream, and in quiet corners in the river the water was frozen for feet out from the shore. At the Kawarau bridge yesterday afternoon there was a sheet of ice right across the river. This is caused by the severe frosts on the greatly decreased body of water and was never before known by the oldest of the present generation. A still further fall in the river is certain. A well-known miner of many years’ residence at the Nevis was in Cromwell yesterday and gave the reliable opinion that the Nevis River is still at what is considered a high level for this period of the year, but is now steadily falling under the influence of the hard frost. A heavy snow storm would have a decided effect on the fall in the river. The fall at the town is now ery noticeable, but no figures are at present available as to the level now reached in the gorges. A few days should see a good deal of work in progress on the river. The proposal to arrange for blasting out obstructions in the river is welcomed, but there is some doubt as to the wisdom of opening the dam.