The snow of November 1967: A report with contributed papers on the cause and effect of the disaster

Abstract

In 1967, inland Canterbury and North Otago suffered the heaviest late-spring snowfall ever recorded. It began on Thursday, 16th November and although the worst of the storm was over within two days, scattered snow and rain with occasional heavy falls continued, particularly in the high country, for the rest of the month. Up to five feet of snow fell in some areas, and although it almost all thawed from inhabited levels within the next week it caused great inconvenience and damage in that time. At least 60,000 sheep and over 500 cattle died, roads were blocked, power and telephone lines fell over a wide area, and many buildings were damaged or wrecked. The Institute believes that it is worth recording the cause and effects of this disaster, and to this end it has gathered reports from every organisation which took a major .part in relief services. Besides, it has visited, or arranged with the Department of Agriculture to have visited, every runholder in the worst-affected area. This volume has been prepared for its historical value. It is possible that there may, here too, be lessons to be learnt from history. The individual reports of Government Departments and of local bodies are augmented where necessary by excerpts from the summary of the same name published in the March 1969 issue of the Tussock Grasslands and Mountain Lands Institute "Review".