HEAVY STORM.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1928, Page 9

HEAVY STORM.

WEEK-END VISITATION.

TELEGRAPH SERVICE AFFECTED.

LAUNCH ADRIFT IN GALE

Auckland felt the force of a heavy gale which swept the greater part of the North Island during the week-end. With a lull yesterday morning the storm increased in the afternoon to a moderate gale in the city and suburbs, and last night the Swanson district experienced a violent storm, with a couple of thunderbolts at 2 o’clock that set afire the signal box.

Damage around the city was limited chiefly to nurseries and flower gardens and slight interferences with the telephone system. “Leaking” on many of the circuits created a problem for the telephone operators and subscribers on Saturday, but this passed away towards evening. Communication with Gisborne, interrupted for several hours on Saturday morning, was restored by midday, but the long distance lines to Wellington were giving trouble to-day, due largely to damage that had occurred through a severe storm in the vicinity of Wellington. In the north trouble of a minor nature was reported between Kaiwaka and Kirikopuni. A dozen telephones in Pah Road, Epsom, were put out of use by the falling of a tree early on Saturday afternoon, but the damage was quickly repaired. Small craft on the harbour suffered little, though the occupants of the launch Robey, owned by Messrs. H. Thompson and R. Rope, had a trying experience on Saturday afternoon. The launch left Rangitoto at noon on Saturday, towing two barges of stone for discharge at the waterfront road on the eastern reclamation. After passing the Harbour Board’s quarry beacon the engine broke down, and the launch became helpless in the gale. Three anchors were dropped overooard, but these failed to hold and the launch and barges were driven two miles towards Motuihi Island. The occupants were Captain E. Ashby, an engineer, and three quarrymen. All experienced a severe drenching from the heavy seas that broke over the launch.

The party were eventually Mr. W. Morgan, who, with his launch Mavis, towed the drifting launch and barges into port at 5.30 p.m. On the Stanley Bay waterfront damage was caused to a shed and a launch owned by Mr. S. Harrison. Rainfall observations at Albert Park showed that the total for Saturday and Sunday was 1.72 in, the heaviest rain having fallen yesterday and last night, when .92in was recorded. The total rainfall for the month is 6.16 in, compared with a September average of 8.56 inches.