GRIPPED BY GALES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 181, 5 August 1935, Page 7

GRIPPED BY GALES

SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA i EXTREME COLD EXPERIENCED —— I (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) ♦ Received Aug. 4, 6.20 p.m. SYDNEY, Aug. 4. I The Southern and Eastern States of Australia are in the grip of the severest cold spoil for years. The conditions are intensified by violent gales which are disorganising shipping and causing extensive damage along the coast as well as inland. Reports are arriving of heavy and continuous snowfalls in the Victorian Alps, also on Mount Kosciusko, New South Wales. Tourist and I skiing parties were marooned and often I in peril, having to bo rescued bv search 1 parties using snow-ploughs. V large party bound for Mount Kosciusko were trapped in snow three feet deep and suffered intense privation until sleds rescued them. LOW TEMPERATURES LAMBING LOSSES FEARED Received Aug. 4, 11.55 p.m. SYDNEY. Aug. 4. ' Heavy snowfalls arc reported from Blue Mountain towns, and service coaches to the Jcnolan Caves have been stopped. The Bathurst and Orange roads are covered with snow. The bitter south-westerly blasts arc unprecedentedly, and the low temperatures. it is feared, will seriously affect lambing in the western pastoral areas. Conditions in southern New SouFh Wales are decidedly unpleasant, due ci weeks of soaking rain ami extreme cold. Paradoxically, scrub fires have been raging a few miles outside Sydney, and firemen were engaged the whole of to-day ant) part of yesterday endeavouring to check them. A tierce wind and shortage of rain is rcspOLsible for the outbreaks.