HEAVY GALE HITS AUCKLAND

Chronicle (Levin), 19 August 1946, Page 4

HEAVY GALE HITS AUCKLAND

-Press Association

MAJOR POWER BREAKS CAUSED DELAYS IN SHIPPING

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, August 18. Following a morning in wliich over half an ineli of rain fell in a few brief ' but intense showers, a southwesterly gale swept Auckland on Saturday afternoon causing a major interruption to the eity's eleetric power supply and also damage in various suburbs. The wind' reac.hed 70 miles an hour in ex-' posed positions and the gale was acqornpanied by a sudden drop in temperature of .10 degrees. J^ightning caused a break in the poweT lines from Arapuni to the city and power was cut off for over axi hour and a half in some suburbs after several short interruptions earlier on Saturday afternoon. Theatre programmes and otlier entertainments were interrupted. Airlines and rail serviees suffered only minor interruptions. At the R.N.Z.A.F. Station at Whenuapai, a Douglas Dakota aircraft from which the engines had been removed, dragged its mooringweights and was damaged. All available airmen 011 tlie station were ealled ■out to help. ' Hail, thunder and lightning aecompanied the gale and windows were broken in homes in many parts of Auckland. Trees were blown dowxi and gardens suffered, while fences, hoardings and radio aerials were also damaged. A liouse in Western Springs had a large section measuring 18ft. by 14ft. blown off. The worst weather of the winter sports season caused the caneelling of the majority of Auckland fixtures for the second Saturday in succession. On the Auckland "waterfront the working of ships ' cargoes was brought to a standstill by torrential rain and several companies did not sign on any labour for- Saturday' morning. The de;tg$rture o'f' the .. Unxted* States / Y^ar SMpping Marin e Faleon, "lyM'clil-wasftV Mjge^ipied for San' Fi-arfcfs.cqi- via^ydney ■&£ 5 fir.bl'- pn .Satur-day, ^tVrfh '250' pa^Sengers, including about 30 hancees of Ameriean servicemen, was delayed until 5 p.m. tomorrow. • The New Zealand Shipping Company liner Rimutaka, which was originally due at 7 o'clock tonight, met with rough weather off the coast and is now expected to reaeh port at 2 o 'clock on Monday morning. The patli of the storm wras wide. It passed over the greater part of the Island from Auckland northward but its full force was not felt at any great distance south of the city except in parts of the Coromandel Peninsula where damage was reported. > The maximum velocity recorded at Mechanics' Bay was 63 mileS an hour but at Whenuapai there were two gusts of 70 miles an hour.