IN GRIP OF WINTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 31 December 1927, Page 5

IN GRIP OF WINTER.

STORMS IN EURUPE. SERIOUS FLOOD DAMAGE. T~" . ' PfSss Association-Electric Telesfapil-Copyrigh' - LONDON, Friday. Delays in railway and motor traffic, arc holding up London’s supplies of milk and vegetables from farms. Two aeroplanes from London carried food to Westerham, in Kent, which was isolated for four days by snowdrifts 14 feet deep, in which scores of vehicles were completely lost. Channel crossings from Dover have been cancelled for the fourth day in succession. The foreshore at Sandwich Bay is covered with millions of starfish and innumerable lobsters, due to the gale scouring the breeding grounds. As they have been thrown up the fish have' become frozen, but they are fit for food. Among the weatherbound vessels in the Channel ports are. the whole of the Orvieto’s overland passengers, who still run a risk of losing the steamer. The owners have induced the Southern Railway to make a special effort to get the passengers through with to-night’s mail train in order to reach Touloxx on Saturday. Paris has received London newspapers for the first time since Saturday, but telephonic and telegraphic connection between London and Paris has bceix much delayed since Monday though the wireless is working excellently. Strong north-easterly winds, reaching gale force in many parts of Southern England, continue. Except in the towns and on some of the main roads iix the country, which have been cleared, accunxulatioixs of snow still greatly hamper traffic, but in many dis-. ■tricts all vehicular movement on roads is entirely suspended. Even where snow ploughs have cut tracks, the tracks have in many eases been filled up by drifts blown by high winds. In many small villages isolated by storm, such as those on Dartmoor and the hamlets of Devonshire, the prospect of a food shortage is causing some anxiety, particularly as the condition of tlic snow-bound villagers is becoming worse as the gale continues to pile up deeper snowdrifts. The most serious effects of the snowstorm have boon experienced in Kent, where scores of motor-cars have been caught in snowdrifts, while ,301x10 cottages on the highlands have been almost buried. The most serious damage in Kent has, however, been occasioned by floods, and the Canterbury Corporation lias organised a service of small boats and carts for delivering

food, fuel, and mails to those families which arc marooned in streets submerged in two or three feet of water owing to the overflowing of the river vStour. All available halls have been requisitioned by the Emergency Conxmitte for the accommodation of those whose homes have been rendered uninhabitable. The Upper Medway River invaded Maidstone yesterday, and the tramway and electric lightning services were suspended owing to the generating station being flooded. The, position is now reported to be improving. Even London has been threatened with a shortage of fuel and food supplies. Coal merchants have been getting supplies of coal satisfactorily by train, but have been unable to deliver to householders owing to ice-bound streets. 111 Covent Garden supplies of vegetables arc short, as these come only by road. Milk supplies have been considerably affected, but are now being delivered nearly normally. MADDENED WILD BEASTS.

LONDON, Friday. Radio messages report that wild beasts, maddened by hunger, have increased the terrors of winter in Poland. Packs of wolves ■ have killed many peasants in the eastern border lands. Two women, were, devoured near Wolkocwysk, also four smugglers who had just crossed the border with contraband. The Government is employing troops to organise great hunts to exterminate as many wolves as possible.

A large number of French people held up in England through an accident to the Channel steamer Engadine, made a fresh start for Paris to-day by the Newhaven-Dicppe route. Others waited at Folkestone for the Maid of Orleans, which left Boulogne for Folkestone at midday with 836 passengers aboard, and was afterwards leaving for Boulogne again. It was hoped this morning that the French boat would be available for passengers, wishing to cross from Dover to Calais, but at midday it was announced there would be no Dover-Calais sailing today. The Newhaven-Dieppe and Southampton-Lc Havre services are normal. When the Cunard liner Acquitania arrived at Cherhou% last evening, en route for New York, her commander, Sir James Charles, decided that the high wind and heavy seas made it too hazardous to go into harbour, and the liner had to cruise round outside the harbour all night. She managed to enter at 9 o’clock this morning, after being held up for over twelve hours. — British Official Wireles. BLIZZARD IN JAPAN. TOKIO, Friday. A severe blizzard is sweeping Northern Japan and shipping is suffering badly. Five hundred houses were wrecked in the Akita prefecture. Many fires have been reported throughout the country. The worst was at Matsuye, where damage to the amount .of 1,000,000 yen was done and

1600 people rendered homeless. Six people were burned to death at Asakaguiq in the Fukushima prefecture.