AUCKLAND'S NARROW ESCAPE

Chronicle (Levin), 16 January 1947, Page 7

AUCKLAND'S NARROW ESCAPE

ROUGH TIME FOR, SHICflJNUAUCKLAND, Jan. 15. A change in the direction of the course of the cyclone which threatened Auckland with strong gales today saved most of the peninsula from • serious damage by wiud although steady and in places, heavy rain and cold tempera tures werc experienced. The Cape Brett lighthouse early this morning reported a southeasterly gale averaging 40 miles an hour with heavy rain and liigh seas. The East Cape lighthouse reported similar conditions and later stated that the winds werc averaging 60 miles an hour. No further reports were received from the lighthouse presumably because of damage to the telephone line. Wlien 200 miles east of Auckland this evoning the Sydney Star reported a ■strong southeasterly gale and a confused sea. The Matua was 400 miles north of Auckland where there was a rough sea.Geueral raiu was experienced over the Auckland Peninsula and the Bav of Plenty aud Gisborue areas. Fruit trees were uprooted and telegraph ■poles blown down at Tikitiki near East Cape where the raiu was particularlv heavy and the seas very rough. There was no interruption either of overseas or internal air traffic. Two llyiiig boats arrived in Auckland from and one left for Sydney and the American Commander aircrat't left at 0.57 a.m. for Tontouta (Ncw Caledonia). A R.N.Z.A.F. Dakota took off for Norfolk Island shortly after noon. High winds and heavy seas off Cape Rodney caused the Northern Companv 's ruotor vessel Paroto to take 22A hours! from Sail Rock near the Hen and Chickeus to Auckland, a distance usuallv covered in 12 hours. The Kapiti was due at Tauranga this . mojfmng. .but lvad not • arrived- this; ~ aftjernoons Other ,«oastal shippmg was | alsm delaajpBd.-, | i -) > ' Heavv Taih at »Uake \Vaikarcmoau a brought! hopes of a recovery of tlie lake •' leveH 'which has fallen to 2001 feet above sea level, about 14 feet below the overflow. There was little rain at Lake Taupo where the level remains steady With wintry conditions at Taupo, troul fishing is pra?tically at n stfindstiil.