DESTRUCTIVE HORRICANE IN RAROTONGA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1778, 28 February 1888, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE HORRICANE IN RAROTONGA.

(•' New Zaaland tlerald.") By the arrival of the steamer Rlohmond from the lalaads, news waa brought to Auckland of great damage done at Rarotong* by a farlous hurricane which raged m that group, from the 22nd till the 25th January, during which Messrs Donald and Kdenborough had the misfortune to loie their trading schooner Atlantic, wh*ch wa» blown on a reef and destroyed. Ofl the (aland of Rarotonga Itself the destruction was very extensive, whole grooves of cocoanut and orange trees being stripped and uprooted, while between 70 and 80 houses were blown down or other* wlae damaged, the tallerstroctureseaffering the most. Indications of an approaching storm were given a couple of days beforehand by atmospheric premonitions, and the natives took measures to saves life, and prevent the destruction of their dwellings by lashing them firmly down and otherwise protecting them. No such effectual measures could be taken with the larger and taller Kuropean building?, and these felt the fury of the gale. The church at Natangia, which was but recently erected, had its roof torn bodily oft and blown away, The damage is estimated at about 3000 dollars. The residence of Rev Mr Hutchins, the missionary, also suffered severely, and will require almost complete rebuilding. Throughout the ieland, more particularly m the western half, over which the greatest force of the hurricane seems to have passed, tho whole soason's crops are destroyed, and the piece bears the appearance of chaotic desolation It ib estimated that it will take a full year before (he damage done can be repaired, and the amount of loss sustained is variously Bat down at figures ranging from £25,000 to £30,000. The principal Bufferers by the storm are mostly the natives, whose cultivations have been ruined, although many European traders are aleo heavy losers It is considered that the damage to the coffee crop alone will amouat to about £3.00, while the loss m cotton is surmised to be more than treble that sum, while big figures are also put down for the cocoanut, orange, and banana crops that have been swept away.

The residents of the main island were, at the time of the departure of the Richmond, anxiously awaiting reports from the other islands of the group, and it is expected that when these come m the amount of loss will be swelled. It is said, that, within the last eighteen or twenty year?, no storm of such violence has visited the group. At Tonga no effects of the hurricane were felt, and the Richmond had fair weather at eea. The one cause of congratulation, amid so much destruction, ia'that no loss of human life occurred during the storm.