TERRIFIC FALL OF HAIL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11493, 28 January 1903, Page 8

TERRIFIC FALL OF HAIL.

EXCITING SCENES IN THE CITY

MUCH DAMAGE TO THE CROPS.

ELECTRICAL PHENOMENA.

Yesterday afternoon, about 12.30, a very heavy thunderstorm broke over the city, doing considerable damage, 2.10 o"clock tine hail storm, wliich had been notified as having done damage to tie Tai lapu mil harvest fields, came along to the chy. Tlie eun was showing brightly at the time, and the peculiar phenomenon was noticeable of a thick cloud of haiLsiouea as large as marbles failing through beautiful sunshine. Standing behind the windows opposite to the southwest was like oeiag in the trendies with the crackle of musketry raging. The hcisea in the coaches which came into town at the time of the storm were much discomposed. The streets were strewn with the hailstones, which were thick on the road, and this continued for about twenty minutes, accompanied by tiiunder claps. The bi<j black cloud then mored towards the eea, and in a quarter of an hour the sun was shining out, and the cnJy trace of the storm was the thorough watering of the streets, far inoie effectuaily than me efforts of the water carts, which «had just preceded tite storm. The stonea were not so large as at Tai Tapu, but :n nuiiibers ot gretUxiuUfje-S, partictilaily Mr Xaim's on 'the Lincoln loud, a large number of panes of glass wore broktM. In Cathedrai squaie and whtie tue verandjlis wt-ie- op.ii to tue st/Uih-west a laige quiiuLity cl glows was also broken. All aioi;g Coiomu> ti-.:v€t \v-i<; buti.:.v tiigage J up tii.- gUiis iolio.vi;.jj upon Hie uiiiouk<.d-ior tluna. l*ui for tLis and '-':ie uiuuie eu.esb oi Hie streets i:o vile would have guested, a quarter of >ai hour ulu-r, that tach a stoiiU had puvsed ovtr '.lie c;ty. The scene in Culiiedial square between tv,o o'clock iaid a qUitittJ pa.sv «as a wildly exciting one. Shortly α-iur two o'clock tlie Wind appealed to suirt biowuig from evtiy quarter of the cojupass, and raised clouds of dust, which aonoat hid iho buildings. Tue wind blew witU terrific force, hurling 'the small grit, into the laces of tne pedestrians. A brunch of one oi the treed in the grounds attached to the (Jat<!iedral broke and fe,l to the ground. The whirlwind and clouds of dust ajud giit lasted about live niinui.es, and proved to be only the prelude to a more phenomenal state of affairs.

Hail began to fall and grew steadily in force. Thd square , Wiis soon white with the fail, and presented a wintry appearance-. Huix-div any of the g.ass-coveifU verandahs escaped luivmg ttoe glass biofcen, and on i/hti LiC'biit-ld lront of Messis Strange and Uo.'s premises the havoc was so grtat that the footpath was literally strewn with the broken glass. Whilst the storm was at its worst the horses in two carts coming from the north into Cathedral Square bolted, the animals being frightened almost to madness with the sudden shower of haa. One of the Obristchureh Tramway Company's guards seeing that if the horses were not stopped damage would be dom\ rushed forward, and managed to get -them under control.

An extraordinary storm effect was seen over the Port Hills. Diaphanous white clouds were (superimposed on black cloud masses, when all of a sudden the nimbi broke, and spread asunder like the ferae known as the Prince of Wake feather. A huge ball of cloud eeemed to strike the earth and split into fragment*, which rebounded upwards in all directions. Just before the ball of cloud so rebounded the lightning seemed to strike right down through its centre.

One of Messrs P. and D. Duncan and Company's employees had a narrow escape from a serious accident yesterday during tne storm. Hβ w&a working on a combine in the yard, when a terrific gust of wind blew over the stand of a windmill, about 30fifc high, and, fortunately, it struck a projecting part of the combine, otherwise t*h» man would have b&en killed. As it was, he was injured on th« head and on one of his arms, and haid to leave off work.

Tfoa CSiristchurch Drillshed, which hab ■been in a decrepit condition for a long time, managed to survive t3ie strain, but did not escape unscathed. Tba posts supporting tha verandah were blown down. At present the roof of the verandah is hanging on to the main roof in a very dangerous position, and the whole structure now appears ■even more disreputabe than 'before flue. storm worked its will upon it. During the stoim yesterday, or, more accurately, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the radnfall registered at the Magnetic Observatory was .03in. At noon the Bawwnater suddenly and rapidly fell until two o'clock and shortly after that hour, when the wind changed to the south-west, it began to rise.