THE RECENT GALE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1711, 31 March 1913, Page 6

THE RECENT GALE.

KILBinNIE ' SKATING' RINK v • DAMAGED. -. Tho^prtherly /gale which' riiged throughout Friday night, blew, itself out .on Saturday, anA although tho weather - continued dull niul miserable, with occasional showers, tho fury of 'tins storm had gone. 'Yesterday tho wind veered ''round. to tho south, anil rain foil at 'frequent' intervals. A good deal of minor damage was done by the gulo oil Friday night, several fences, bill-boards, etc;, having been levelled, and iiia'ny windows blown in. Tho most serious damage dono was to tho Kilbirnio'Skating Itiuk, the back wall of Which was blown in, ,and one .of tho sido walls was knocked out .of position. Ke-.' pairs , arc being effected without any delav. , The, gale blew its fiercest at about midnight on Friday, when n forco of 70 miles per hour was recorded in AVellingtori. But at the Tinakori Hills wireless station it blew 100 miles au hour—hurricane force. Heavy rain {squalls, prevailecfuntil about 2.15 a.m. on Saturday, when tho wind eased upi and dropped to ii velocity of only 12 miles an hour. ■ STEAMER JOHN REPORTED. The small coastal, steamer .John, 312 tons, in charge of Cnptaiir S. Holm, left Lyttelton at noon on Thursday last for Wellington direct. Under ordinary circumstances tho vessel should/have arrived early the following morning; but up till Friday evening nothing had been heard of her.. Throughout yesterday inquiries were being madi; lit the Wharf by 'many ■concerned people, but tho Harbour Board officials Were unable to give any pais, ticulars as to her whereabouts. 'Much anxiety was felt in consequence, How-, ever, news.as to her, safety .was supplied' by: a Harbour Board official at a late hour last night. Ho statcdi'that he had been informed that the John'arrived back at Lyttelton some time on Saturday night,, and left again for Wellington at 7 o'clock yesterday morning. The vessel . should have arrived at an early hour this niorniog. ' ■ ■ ,- ' : 1 :. ■