TREMENDOUS GALE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 208, 28 May 1920, Page 6

TREMENDOUS GALE

CHRISTCHURCH SWEPT

VESSELS AT SEA BUFFETTED Br TelcerttDh-Presi Association. Christdiurch, May 27. A. tremendous south-westerly gak swept over tho city in the early hours of this morning, damaging trees, break' inj overhead wire? and disturbing w'hol* households by its extraordinary violence. A. policeman who was on early duty mtyS the gale reminded him of the explosion of a big dump in France. Tho heaviest (rusts tore along the streets nt tremendous speed and to wolk against them was all but impossible. At 2.15 a.m. a break was discovered in the transmission lines of the Laka Coloridgo hydro-electric system, and it was 6 a.m. before repairs were effected and the current restorer. Mr. Skey, of tho Government Observaiory, states that during the ntorm the barometer rose one-tenth of an inch in a few minutes and the thermometer seven degrees in three or four minutes. Kc believes that the gale had. a record velocity for these parts. The Government steamer Ttitanokai, which left Wellington «t 2 p.m. yesterday for Lyttcltoii in order to bunker on her way to Oainaru (where she is- to pick up thirty hospital patients for Nelson), struck the Ralo at 1.15 a.m. When opposite the Conwav River tin vessel was hit by a westerly gale of hurricano force, which later' suddenly veered to southerly, again hitting tho vessel severely. Captain Post stated that it was the most severe weather lio had experienced on the New Zealand coast. Captain Norton, of the Monowai, states that this morning's storm was almost cyclonic in its violence for about fifteen minutes and then eased somewhat, although it continued to blow hard for nearly two hours.