WRAPPED IN FOG.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17570, 22 June 1925, Page 7

WRAPPED IN FOG.

PALL OVER THE CITY. “ THE WORST YET.” Wrapped in the worst fog ever experienced here, Christchurch bore an unusually grey aspect last evening. That there was only one accident reported was due to the cautious driving of those in charge of vehicles. Motorists, cyclists and tramway motormen had a trying time, for it was. impossible to see more than a few yards ahead. Pedestrians soon found that it was absolutely necessary to keep their wits about them. In some of the streets the fog was as a blanket thrown across the thorough fare-Motor-cars would loom up momentarily under some street light and then disappear into the fog. Cyclists, at least those who dared ride their machines, disappeared into oblivion with eerie effect. Near the river ancl in certain parts of Woolston ancl Sydenham, the fog was particularly dense, but on the outskirts of the city it was not so thick. During the afternoon, motorists coming from Kaiapoi were able to see the Cashmere Hills clearly above the fog which was then hanging like a pall over the city. In walking through Ibe less-lighted city streets in the later part of the evening, it was impossible to see more than a yard ahead, and the street lights were swallowed up almost as soon as they were passed. There would be darkness for a distance, and suddenly the feeble glimmer of a lamp would come through the gloom. People afoot must have found their homes bv instinct, for it was quite impossible to pick out known landmarks. That the fog was low-lying was shown by the fact that stars could be seen when street lamps were totally obscured. Mr 11. F. Skey, of the Magnetic Observator)*, stated that the fog was probably due to the dampness of the atmosphere combined with the absence of wind. The calm night would tend to let the mist settle, and accentuated by the presence of smoke from thousands of chimneys, a real London fog resulted. Many people, no doubt, felt a keen nip in the air lost night, but the instruments at the Observatory this morning indicated that only 9.4 degrees of frost had been recorded. Mr Skey explained that the presence of the fog would rather tend to keep away anything in the nature of a severe frost. A CASUALTY. A motor-cyclist named \V. T. Johnston, living at 17. Lawson Street Sydenham, collided with the back of a tram which he was unable to see in Riccarton Road, about 9.30. He was admitted to the Hospital, but his in-