SOUTHERLY GALE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 167, 10 April 1920, Page 6

SOUTHERLY GALE

ANOTHER WILD DAY

SHIPPING STILL HELD UP

PATEENA'S BOUGH TRIP

The southerly gala which .visited Wellington on Thursday abated somewhat yesterday, and last evening had practically died away. There was very little work 011 the waterfront • dwing to the rain, and as heavy seas were still running, shipping remained at a standstill. Only three vessels arrived, in port, the Wahine, which had some difficulty in maki-'r the entrance, the Kaitoa', and the Polwna. lat«< last evening. According to time-table, , the Wahine sailed last evening, and a 1; 10.10 'p.m. the Jlokoia left the wluirf' for Napier. No. further w(ird< was received regarding the Koutunui and it is now practically certain that ©he ha* got to shelter. The Tort Napier is still in the strait riding the 4 galo out, whilo the was yesterday reported to lie' sheltering übder Kapiti Island. The Waitangi is in Titahi Bay, and to-day she is to return toj/irt to replenish her hunkers. The Kaitangata was still at Long Island, and the Karn, '.bound from Tarakohe to Wellington. was also shclterine' somewhere in (lie Sounds or vicinity. The City of Agra remained at her anchorage in the stream. Early this morning the sea at' the Heads had moderated considerably, and _it 'is thought tliut io-day the part will be workable.

PATEENA REACHES PORT

AFTER A BOISTEROUS TKIP.

The intensity with which the southerly s:ils raged in Cock Si rait yesterday can be gauged from the time the croescliannel packet Pateena. took to steam tlie 51 mites from 3'iclou to Wellington. The vessel loft Picton at 11.15 p.m. on Thursday, it bc-ing a fine,.starlight liight. .•>he cleared Tory Channel at a 'quarter to one yesterday moraine, and experienced a fresh southerly wind and moder-ate-swell to half way across. Eain thenfell in torrents, and the wind rose to a gale. At 3 a.m. 'the vessc-l- was south-east of -ICaron Ecck -light which she soon lost. By this time tremendous, sen 9 were running, and the Pat.eena was headed south-south-east. At 3.15 a_.ni. she was hove-to south of the entrance, about the middle of the Strait. Here she cruised about till 11 a.m., the rain pouring for hours, with the wind dead south. It was then'decided to head for the shelter of Cloudy Bay, where she arrived at 3 p.m. By this time the gale lad moderated somewhat, the wind being a fresh southerly. 'Phis soon died i'away, but a little later-it. came again, I' only this time from the' ; iiortli.. At 6 p.m. the Patella was again headed for Wellington, and once more, when half way across, she ran ■ into -the southerly. However.. 1 lie vessel was-kept on her course, the entrance picked up, and at quarter past nine last evening she was fast alongside- No. Mi Queen's, Wharf. During the trip the stokehold was knee deep with water, and cindsrs having Mocked the pumps added to the confusion. Cabins were saturated, making conditions most unpleasant for the passengers, but, luckily, nobody was hurt, and .the ship herself received no material damage. •; . . . Passengers were loud in their praise of Co Vain 'I'. B. Sewell, for his skilful handling of the Patecna." C'antain Sewell. who stated last evening that-it. was his worst trip on the New Zealand coast, did not leave the bridge from the time (lie vessel left Picton till she got into Cloudy Bay—H hours. The Union Company adviss that the Pateena- is to sail at 1.30 p.m. to-{lay for Picton and. Nplsoh, this 'being in ■ plucG of her usual Friday trip. HUTT.ANDPEIONE

RAILWAY SERVICE AFFECTED. Surprisingly little damage was done in the Hutt 'Valley, although the" 6torm •was felt as much there as anywhere, the wind having' an .uninterrupted jiassago up from the heads, through'l'etone, and up the valley. Trees, fences, and g:udelis were the . mcst aft'ectoA, I>ut the crops, have, escaped serious damage. The railway linn between mono; ami Ngahauranga was found yesterday •lwriiing to b? in need of repa r. the ballast on'the rails nearest the sea having been ■washed out in places anft piled :u£ in others. To make these repairs it was found necessary to run all 'trains between Petone and Nga'Kauranga on the oue line, and this lmd the effect if matins most of the down trams run; .about, ten minutes belr.nd .time. By 10 o clock Hie line wns veAcly for use and n normal semes resumed. . | The IVtoue 'beach, as k usual niter a soutlierly gale, is covered from end to end with ar thick layer of seaweed and at the end near the sandhills two'of-the yachts which were anchored there broke lh»ir mooring chains and were 'driven ashore. Luckily "the beach there is sandy, and they seem to have suffered slight injury. ' \lthough a great quantity of .rain fell, the river has not risen appreciably, ■and the HpA of the board states that the protective works have not been sfff Altogether, the district has not suffertd much from the storiu. ; ,

/'. IN THE HASTERTON DISTRICT j By\ Telcgrfph—Special Correspondent, i . • Masterton, April 9.'i' Cohl and wet southerly weather con. tinues in .the Maatertnn district. Or. Thursday evening the gaic accomi.ed foi comeifences, and many fru t. trees were slrinped and gardens damaged. However, so far as is lcnowit. no serious dam-. age was done to buildings, etc. _ , The wind had abated considerably today. though the weather showed 110 signs of'clearin". During the 24 hours ended, at 0 a.m.. 35 points of rain were registered in Masterton, one 1 34 pomls at Solway.