ON LAND.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1582, 28 October 1912, Page 6

ON LAND.

PETONE AND THE LINE, A AVASH-OLT. The storm which swept the Hutt Y r alley on Saturday was the severest experienced • by residents for many years. Along the water-front at Petono a great number of Jmws were blown down, and, when the blow was at its height, pieces cf iron US" v oo<l ITCl '° fl ' vi "S nljout the streets. Ihe little building 3 which are doing service as boathouses wero not harmed; but the sea was breaking over them with groat force, and spray was splashing on' the windows of the houses frontiug the Esplanade. Along Jackson Street chimneys were blown down, and a huge signboard belonging to Messrs. Leavcv and Co. was lifted bodily from its stand, and deposited in tho street below. The wind also blow a large stone clean through a window. Much damage of a miner nature ! is reported. Ladies who were unfortunate enough to be out had to cling to fonces or verandah posts to help them along. The heavy sea presented a lriagnific'ent appearance with the huge breakers dashing against tho breastwork. On tho railway line ft fairly large wash-out took place, north of Ngahauranga, the 'seawall being carried away, and the lino scoured, leaving the down rail suspended in places. The up rail remained intact, excepting for n place which was slightly washed out, but was repaired at once, anil the service was maintained during Saturday night and Sunday on the one line. The Department anticipate that it will bo Tuesday night before repairs are effected. Race trains to-day will be run as nearly as possible to lime-table. Yesterday a large number of people visited tho scene of the wash-outs.

To give an idea of the nature of the sea that was running, it may be mentioned that very large stones were driven over both lines, and deposited'' against the korbing of the cj-clc-track.

At' Lower Hutt and Taita market pardoners and fruit-growers have suffered. All crops are quite blackened, and fruit trees resemble the inside of a chimney. Beyond a few fences being blown down, however, no other damage was reported.

GALE AT CUIUSTCHURCH. Christchurch, October 27. A terrific southerly gale struck the city on Saturday mornirfg, and raged furiously throughout tho day. Shortly after haltpast seven snow began to fall in heavy flakes, but gave way to driving rain. Tho gale had a disastrous effect on the fruit trees, hundreds being stripped. The result will probably bo a greatly diminished fruit crop. Several chains' of fencing were blown down in different parts of the city. Tho gale was severely felt on tho Cashmere Hills, two or three chimneys belonging to houses in tho settlement being brought to the ground. The newly-shorn sheep in tho country will feel the force of the gale, and the weather will also affect the late lambing on tho hills. Tho pale broke over Sumner at 5 o'clock on Friday night, with hurricano force, and increased in severity all through tho night, accompanied by driving rain, hail, and sket. A substantial B-roomod house in course of erection at Pcdcliffs was levelled to tho ground during the night, and a number of small outhouses were found lying- flat. Another, a 12-roomed house iii course of erection on "Tho Spur," Redcliffs, was also blown down. "PLUNGED BACK INTO WINTER." IBy Telegraph.— Press Association.l Oannevirke, October 2G. Dannevirke has plunged back into winter. Three inches and a half of rain has fallen 'during tho last three days. Last night thero was a very boisterous and heavy hailstorm, and tho mountains and low-lying Kills round the township aVo liberally coated with snow. SNOW AT FEILDING. , Feilding, October 26. Four to six inches of snow fell on tho highlands last nigßt. Tho weather is bitterly cold. Continuous rains during tho spring have prevented farmers from ploughing, very little as yet being done., The milk supply is falling away, but sheep and lambs are doing well. HEAVY OTAGO SNOWS. Dunedin, October 2(1. Thero has been a heavy snowfall throughout the Lakes district. The fall is likely to have n disastrous effect on lambs. Tho steamer Maitni, which left. Lyttolton for Port Chalmers at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, had not been sighted at Otago Heads at noon. A strong southwesterly is blowing. SNOW IN PALMERSTON. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Palmerston N., October 27. A heavy fall of snow, lasting an hour, was experienced at Palmerston North on Saturday, afternoon. This is unprecedented at this time of year during tho last 25 years. The Toraruas andßuahines were covered with a beautiful wliite mantle which encircled tho whole district, and presented a niniiiifleeut sltht to.day, JLLI

nppoarnnce of the winter snow had vanished, but as the result of the rapid melting the Manawatu River, which provides tho chief drainage of the district, lieud grown and is now swollen, and torrential, inundating tho low-lying country. To-day tho weather had again changed back to summer. lIBAVT LOSS OF SHEEP. (Br Telccrapli.-Bpcclal Correspondent.) Masterton, October 27. A severe storm accompanied by snow, hail, and sleet passed over Masterfon yesterday. Reports from outlying districts show that (hero has been a heavy mortality among the newly-shorn sheep. ORCHARDISTS ANXIOUS. (Dv Tclp.zraph-SDccial Correspondent.) Hastings, October 27. Hawke's Bay got the tail-end of the'tialo which enveloped a largo part of the "Dominion at the ond of the week. It was a particularly vigorous tail too and residents were glad enough when tho meteorological monster had spent his strength. On Friday night the galo commenced and it increased in severity throughout Saturday. It was accompanied by heavy rain, and an extremely low temperature. At' no timo during the winter were tho conditions quite so severe in Hastings as they wero on Saturday evening. Sunday morning broke fair and only a cold wind was left as tho immediate legacy of tho storm. The high ranges and some of tho lower ones have been heavily coated with snow and this fact is tho cause of grave anxiety to orchardists. Solong as the snow is visible frosts aro liable to occur on tho flats, and a severe frost now would spell disaster to tho industry which plays such an important part in the prosperity of Hawke's Eay. TIMARU ORCHARDS SUFFER. IBy Toleerapb.—Press Association.) • Timaru, October 27. Tho southerly storm now appears to hovo hlown out. The wind here reached a heavy galo at times, and many trees wero blown down in places, and some country telephone lines are down. The ranges aro white on the tops. The orchards havo suffered considerably, the young fruit being thrashed off. PLAYS HAVOC WITH LAMBING. Oamaru, October 27. The heavy fall of snow in the back country during the past week has played havoc with tho lambs that were dropped during that period, and in some cases there has been a clean sweep. The percentage on tho low country is very high, and these the storm did not affect.