TREES UPROOTED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 44, 23 June 1947, Page 4

TREES UPROOTED

'TORNADO ON RANGITAIKI PLAINS ALARMING EXPERIENCE Hundreds of large gum trees were uprooted and several haystacks uncovered by a sudden storm of the nature of a tornado which swept over the Rangitaiki Plains near Thornton about 10 o’clock on Wednesday night.

It was an alarming experience for settlers those homes were in the path of the storm. Fortunately there was no damage to homesteads, nor loss of live stock. The tornado cut a swathe about five or six chains wide through the well-planted district on both sides of the Rangitaiki River about a mile or two south of Thornton. Trees were uprooted on the properties of Messrs. Goodwin, Checkley and Law on the western bank of the river, and on the property of Mrs Reynolds on the eastern bank. Mr Checkley counted about a hundred large gum trees blown down, with consequent extensive damage to paddock fences over which the trees have crashed. Another hundred or more trees were uprooted on Mrs Reynolds’ property across the river, and further loss has resulted from, the uncovering of haystacks and the smashing of fences.

All settlers are thankful that no dwellings, cowsheds or barns were in the immediate path of the tornado. A truly dismal sight awaited the settlers concerned when the first light of dawn on Thursday showed the full effects of the tornado. Beautiful flowering gum trees lining the drive of Mr Checkley’s homestead were completely wrecked. How to clear away the fallen trees and repair fences is a major problem for these farmers. Making the most of a bad situation they say cheerfully that there is firewood for anyone who will take it away. They would welcome assistance as there is plenty of work to be done on the farm without this extra wood-cut-ting. Similar tornadoes have swept across the Rangitaiki Plains in former seasons, but last week’s visitation appears to have done most damage because so many trees planted 25 or 30 years ago were in its path.