COLD SNAP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17528, 4 May 1925, Page 8

COLD SNAP.

SOU’-WEST GALE AND RAIN. SOAKING SHOWERS. Heavy rain, driven by a sou’-west gale, swept Canterbury last night. Showers began to fall about 9 p.m. yesterday ; they did not come as a surprise after the threatening appearance presented by the sky throughout the afternoon. The rain continued during the night, which was bitterly cold. At 9.30 this morning a fall of three-quarters of an inch had been recorded. The city presented a depressing sight to-day. People who had to be abroad hurried along under dripping umbrellas, or darted with hunched-up shoulders from shop verandah to snop verandah. The cold and strong sou'-west wind swirled around the buildings and more particularly about the Cathedral in the Square. 1 he bad weather was not confined to Christchurch and the surrounding districts alone. At Kaiapoi. rain fell hestvily from four o’clock yesterday, and a cold sou’wester blew all morning. Rangiora was in better case, for the rain was slackening during the later part of the morning, while the wind was blowing only a moderate gale from the south. At Akaroa, rain commenced at 5 o’clock yesterday, and set in steadily, with a heavy southerly. The rain coming after the recent floods will probably cause slips cn the Peninsula roads. A report from Methven stated that rain had been falling throughout the week-end, having commenced on Saturday. At noon the storm showed no sign of abating and had developed into a steady, driving southerly gale. There has been no snow fall at present. A total of 57 points of rain fell during the week-end, and although for a short time yesterday morning, a nor’-wester came up, the wind veered round again to sou-west, and has remained so. POWER GOES OFF. A short break in the city power supply occurred just before twelve o'clock. It was due to purely local causes. The city engineer stated that in his opinion there need be little apprehension on the score of a break in the Lake Coleridge power-line. AT LYTTELTON. Heavy rain was experienced at Lyttelton this morning, and no work could be undertaken on the waterfront, with the result that the vessels in port will be delayed. Fortunately there is not a great deal of shipping in port.