The Weather.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3471, 27 July 1899, Page 3

The Weather.

The weather continues very cold indeed, and, except fora few hours at mid-day,the roads have been icc-bonnd, while there is no traffic, and snow still lies thickly. Tuesday night was particularly severe. There must have been very few households in which the domestic water supply was not frozen, and pipes burst in all directions. Milk, if not actually sold iu the lump, was nearly iu that condition, and the local lemonade factory was able to show some pretty effects iu frozen aerated, drinks. In offices ink was frozen in the bottles. As the snow fall is said to have been the heaviest ever known in the district,so the frost on Tuesday is said to have severe. Of course, little or no work can be done, and unless there is a change very quickly the gsttiug-in of crops will be greatly delayed. The snow is still lying deep at Geraldine, although on the footpaths of the main street it is beaten down considerably through traffic and the little thaw there was on Tuesday and yesterday. In open paddocks, however, the snow is lying almost as deep as when it fell on Sunday night. On Tuesday night there was a very severe frost, when water-pipes, tanks, bed-room jugs, etc., were frozen up, causing much inconvenience to get water for domestic use. A few hundred sheep brought through the river on Tuesday evening for yesterday’s sale must have suffered greatly from the frost. A little snowballing was taken part in by the young people on Tuesday and yesterday, but the snowballs did not make so easy as they did on Monday. There was practically no business done on Monday or Tuesday, and Wednesday was very quiet, despite the fact that it was fair day. Heavy snow fell at Fairlie ou Sunday night, and on Monday morning the township was covered to a depth of fully nine inches. The enow plough was at work clearing a path for pedestrians ou Monday morning, and the couniy council’s largo enow p'ough was busy opening up a road for wheel traffic between Fairiio and Burke’s Pass. The train in the morning had some difficulty iu getting away, and the up-train from Timaru arrived thirtyfive minutes late. Had it not been for the down-train clearing the way, the south traiu would not have got up at all ; as it was the engiue blocked just ou arrival at the Fairlie station. Shunting was impossible, but with the aid of the wire rope the train was got iu position for the relurn journey iu the afternoon. The railway men were engaged during the day shovelling the snow clear of the railway at the station, and while they were shovelling it off the engine Mr Figott, of Fairlie, secured a snapshot of the scene. At Burke’s Pass the fall was less heavy, and at Tekapo it was reported very little fell. At Pleasant Point (here was a fall of six inches, the heaviest fall, so some of the old identities declare, experienced for the past thirty-four years. Everything bears a cold, bleak, dreary appearance Almost all the township took up the fun of snowballing ou Monday last, making it hardly safe to venture out. Stock of all kinds appear to hold up well, and it is surprising how lively sheep on turnips—or perhaps on snow would be more correct —appear to be. The worst, how ever, is yet to come, for it will bo when the thaw comes that everything will assume its worst appoamteo.

Unr Peel Forest ccrn-spovulont writes that 8J inches of snow fell there between 9.3 ) p.m. ou Sunday and daylight on Monday morning. There was no wind, and trees, etc., were loaded, and presented a beautiful sight. This is the heaviest fall for eight years. Our Arundel correspondent writes: We have had a very heavy fall of snow up here. It fell lightly on Friday, and laid on the ground until Saturday/ It started to suow again on Sunday night, about 9 o’clock, and ou Monday morning thorp were about ten inches of snow on th( ground, and there ?ra still about eight inches to-day (Tuesday). It has scarcely started to thaw out yet. It is the heaviest fall that has been seen hero since tflvi settlers came here, and it will put a stop to all work for a time. Napier, July 25. Very severe weather has been experienced iu the country distrets during the past few days. A heavy fall of snow is reported from Tarawera, and the Taupo coach is blocked. Wellington, July 25. The weather is exceedingly cold, with light showers of sleet and hail. There is snow on the ranges round the harbor. At Carterton, in the Wairarapa, snow foil this morning.