THE WEATHER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4716, 7 August 1893, Page 3

THE WEATHER.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 6. Mr Cheeseman, Government meteorologist, repotts that although there have been separate months in which more rain has fallen, there has never been in Auckland since the observatory has been established, such a long period of wet weather. The fall since the commencement of the year exceeds by 6in the average fall of previous seasons. Three-quarters of an inch fell from Thursday morning to Friday, and *36in from Friday till this morning. There have been heavy landslips on the Waikato line. Between Newmarket and the Domain tunnel, the line for 200 feet haß dropped 25 feet. Communication has been interrupted and passengers are taken to Newmarket by 'buses. The 12.50 down train had passed over and reported the embankment fissured. The 1.10 train going up found a section of the line hanging two feet in the air with the sleepers, and the passengers walked across the gap with their luggage. Half an hour after the side of the embankment and the line dropped twenty-five feet. The Kaipara line has also in one place gone down a gully. All available men are at work, and two ballast trains, but the railway authorities can set no time when communication will be restored, as the earthwork: appears to be running into subterranean cavities, showing that the embankment has been undermined by springs or surface water getting under the embankment, and scouring the foundation work out. Through communication by railway with the Waikato has been reestablished, but the Waikato is still rising. The up train ploughed through fourteen inches of water over the rails from Fokeno to Mercer. The line iB believed to be dangerous in some places between Mercer and Huntley. Only light trains, travelling in some places at the rate of four miles an hour, can get through. WELLINGTON, August 5. H.M.S. Lizard had a rough passage , from Sydney. The decks were almost always under water. Several of the sails were either blown to pieces or split up. The rate of progress was very slow, and on one day not more than fifty mileß were made. The heavy rain of the past few days has brought down quite a number of slips in various parts of the city. One fall brought down fully 1000 tons of earth on the road, and it will be some days before the court's is cleared away. Floods are reported in the Wairarapa district, and part of the Petone township was flooded this morning. The weather is now clearing. August 7. It ia raining again heavily at intervals, and several more slips have occurred in various parts of tho town. GREYMOUTH, August G. I The weather is still wet and unsettled.