AUCKLAND PROVINCE ALSO THE GALE

Chronicle (Levin), 17 February 1947, Page 6

AUCKLAND PROVINCE ALSO THE GALE

-Press. Association

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Fcb. 16. Damage to electric pQwer aud telephone lines and to fruit crops in various paris of tlie province, was caused by violenl soutlierly winds which were experieuced in most parts of the North Island from Auckland southwmrd on Friday night and Haturday. There was a niarked drop in the temperatures throughout the province, thc therinometer l'atling to as low as 36 degrees at Opotiki on Haturday. Direct teleplione communication between Auckland and the central and soulhern portions of the North Islaiui was cut in the early hours of Haturday morning and ' altliough the lines to Jlaniilton and New Plymouth were clear by noou on Haturday, tliere was a ioiiger delay in restoring the lines between Gambridge and Rotorua and in the vicinity of Taupo. The cliief damage to the lines in tliese areas was caused through trees being blown down .two miles soutli of Cambridge and 20 miles north and live miles soutli of Taupo. Tclegrapliic traflic bet^ween Auckland and Ihe soutli was liandlcd by the eniergcncy radio circuil 011 Haturday. Teleplione communication between Auckland and Wellington was restored 011 Hunday but the serviee was subject to delays. Tlie Weather' was special ly sev'ere in the Taupo district .Snow fell 011 the surrounding ranges 011 Haturday niorning and big guni trees were blown ddivn at Tokaanu. Hnow on the Desert Road delayed niotorists but all railway limotables have been niaintaiiied. With the exceptiou of the ff-ight lo Kaitaia and that to New Plymouth and Palmerston Nortli, all iuland air services operating through Auck land wero cancelled 011 Haturday. Overseas traiiic was not aff'ected.