HEAVY NOR'-WEST GALE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2278, 12 October 1914, Page 7

HEAVY NOR'-WEST GALE

SATURDAY'S WILD WEAIHER SOUTHERN TOWNS SEVERELY BUFFETED Wellington experienced one of the biggest blows of the year on Saturday, and the conditions .were extremely unpleasant for anyone who had to face it in the open. When it is stated that the north-westerly gale reached a velocity of 62 miles an hour at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday,. outsiders will realise that the week-end was the reverse of pleasant. The gale, beyond the usual casualties to gardens, old fences, and rickety chimneys, does not appear to have done any very serious damage here, but in the south —and 1 particularly at Ashburton—it was destructive. Throughout the day tho gale raged furiously in Wellington, accompanied by a slight rain at rare intervals. About 4 o'clock a furioue gust swept Featherston Street liko a blast through a funnel, , and sent, crashing to the street the top lamp of the ornamental cluster that stands at tho Featherston Street-Grey Street corner of the Post OfEco block. Luckily nobody happened to be in the immediate vicinity of the spot at the moment. The white opaque glass globe of the lamp was shivered into a thousand pieces, which swirled about the street with a musical rustle. Rain descended in hurtling showers at nightfall, but cleared off after 10 p.m. as the gale decreased. Yesterday saw the sky still overcast, but tho wind had died down to a light breeze. The gale on Saturday afternoon was responsible for several falls from bicycles on tlie toad to the Hut!) Park Camp, but the full force of it was felt whilst crossing tlie Petone bridge, over the Hutt River, more commonly known as the "white" bridge. -Hero cyclists dismounted and walked, and members of the gentler sex moved along cautiously until the danger was passed.

IN OTHER CENTRES: HURRICANE AT ASHBURTON. \ (By i'&esraph.—Press Association.) 5 Ashburton, October 10. After two days of oppressively • hot weather, during which the mercury reached 87 degrees in tho shado, the mild north-westerly winds which had prevailed swelled into a hurricane in the early'hours of this morning. _ Tho storm was ferocious in its intensity up till 10 a.m., and the worst known for many years. The town and district became enveloped in clouds of dust, and the effect on ploughed land must be very bad. Early in the morning a considerable portion of the roof of Mr. H. O. Barrett's drapery shop was blown off, and a lad who was struck by a sheet of flying iron had to be removed to the Hospital. Many trees were uprooted or smashed, and gardens suffered severely. After leaving Ashburton statio'ri at 9.45, the south-hound express train pulled up before \croseing the bridge over the river, and did not proceed till this had been seen, inspected ,and pronounced safe.

Reports from the country show that the wind-storm was general throughout the.' country, and that it has clone damage Jto a greater or less extent everywhere. A big railway tank at Hind's (12 miles south) has been demolished, and several sheds unrofod. At Winslow (six miles south) the roof of the railway station was lifted. It is reported .that six telegraph posts .between Hinds and Rangitata have been smashed, and telegraph communicatien with the south is interrupted. News, of ; the damage in, the borough end the suburbs is stillcoming to hand. Several chimneys have been blown over, and in one case a fall of chimneys caused tho flodoing of a house through the water-main breaking. Tho storm is naff abating. DAMAGE AT TIMAUt. Tiniaru, October 11. A unusualy powerful north-west gale prevailed-.over South Canterbury from about 4 a.m. till non on Saturday, and in the unroofing of small buildings, the levelling of fences,' uprooting or trees, demolishing stacks, damaging orchards, and gardens, caused a largo total or damage. Ihe gale appears to have been the strongest between Timaru and Waitaki, and moro telegraph poles were down between Otaio and Pareora than elsewhere.

Costly daniagew as done to some buildings in Waimato, where the gale at times is said to have been the most powerful ever experienced there. In Timaru several windows were blown in. Fairlie and GeralHine also report much minor damage. At Fairlie, Kerr's garage roof was lifted off. Timaru's motor buses did not attempt to run till the gale subsided. It is reported that a man delivering the morning paper with a horse and cart encountered a falling tree, which smashed the cart. The man fortun-. ately was not much hurt. WAIMATE'S VISITATION. N , ■ Waimate, October 10. A nor'-west gale of great ■ velocity blew' all night. Much damage was done to orchards, plantations, and outbuildings. M'lienzie Bros's large auction premises in High Street (opposite the Arcade) had the whole of the top' floor, brick and plaster front wall, blown out on to the street. The wind blew in at a side window and acted like the powder in an air-gun, shooting the wall out. The debris extended right across the street. Fortunately there were very few people in the street. A lad named Hewstcn narrowly escaped. RECORD BLOW AT OAMARU. Oamaru, October 110. Tho gale that raged in North Otago during the early houre of this morning was tlie fiercest in the experience or memory of old residents. Reports of extensive damage have bee nreceived from all parts of the district. Stacks and outbuildings have ben razed everywhere, and considerable damage done to more substantial buildings. At Windsor the roof was blown off the recentlyopened Presbyterian Church and deposited three chains away. At Elderslie plantations some of the oldest trees were uprooted. In Oamaru windows have been cracked and blown, in in all directions, and chimneys blown down. In Thames Street the fanlights of Bnllcid's substantially built verandahs-wore blown in, and one of tho large" plateglass windows crAckcd. The trees in tho beautiful Domain Gardens have been considerably knocked about. The district wos withstanding the prolonged drought very well, but tho agricultural prospect has been considernblv blackened by this latest visitation . There is no r.iin yet, although there are indications of it. The Telegraph O]K& reported several line interruptions south of Christ-church.