Heavy Gale Hits Southland

Chronicle (Levin), 23 January 1948, Page 6

Heavy Gale Hits Southland

INVERCARGILL, Jan. 22. Beginning aoon after 6 o'clock this morning, the worst gale experieneed for many months swept the city and province, eausing considerable damage to crops and gardens. The maximum gust of 63 miles an hour was recorded at the Invercargill airport at 12.10 p.m. ana several .other gusts up to 60 miles aii hour. At 5.30 o'clock the wind was still gusting up to 52 miles an hour. The wind put radio station 4YZ out of • aetion for almost 51 hours. The electrical department's Hnesmen were kept busy throughout the day ■ repairing broken lines and attending to minor interruptions in supply. There vyere no interruptions in the telegraphic or teleplionie services in the city. Soon after 11 "a.'m. the aerial at the transmitting station at Dacre blew down and station 4YZ went off the air. The wind played havoc with gardens. . throughout the province. ■ At Queen'SPark several pine trees were blowii down. Potato shaws and tall growing flowers and vegetables were badly battered. Because of the. wind. there was no work on the Bluff watef front, operations on two ships being held up.