YESTERDAY'S GALE.

Evening Star, Issue 3378, 17 December 1873, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S GALE.

A heavy gale of wind visited Dunedin and the neighborhood yesterday, lasting the greater part of the day, and, besides causing one fatal accident, doing a considerable amount of damage to property. The lighter Queen was discharging palings at the Stuart street jetty, when a gust of wind carried some into the bay, and the two men, one named Kill's and the other unknown, who were at work on the lighter, jumped into her boat in ojrder to recover them. This boat was only provided with one oar, and was consequently unmanageable in the fierce gusts then blowing. It w«s gradually driven out beyond tho training wall and across the, bay. shipping water continually, seeing yhich Ellis took off his hoots in readiness to swim, advising the other man to do the same, but without effect. When about half wav between the end of the training wall and Grant's liraes, the boat filled and wont down, Ellis at first striking out for the shore, but afterwards making for the capsized boat, to which he clung until it drifted ashore near Vanxhall. He m-yer, saw anything of his companion after tho swamping of the boat, and imagines he must have been drowned immediately. Rome persons on the jetties had put off on seeing the boat in distress, but lost sight of her before getting at all near her. Deceased is believed to have staved at tho White Horse Hotels and in the pocket of his coat, which was on the lighter, were letters addressed tq ‘'Mrlieftinish,” at that address. On the accident being reported to the police. Sub-Inspector Mallard and two constables, with Ellis, went out in the boat of the Emulous, kindly lent by the captain, and dragged for the body for three or four hours, hut without success. The search was tube continued to-day. One of the sufferers by damage to property was Mr A. Solomon, pawnbroker, of George street, whoso verandah j was blown down and shop window broken, damage being done to the amount of E4O, The plate glass window of Mr Reicbelt’s shop in .the. * Cutting was also broken, and iuauqjci’abij *

o i smaller, being tittuhed and portiofis of ropfs of houses earned off occurred in different parts of the town. A ntimber of gum trees in private garden severe blown down, but without doing much damage; ami on the bay several boats broke loose from their moorings and drifted about in some instances reaching the Peninsula side. At Alider.ion’s Bay the full fury of the wind was experienced, and the residents there have all sustained more or less loss. At Air R. AI. Robertson’s bouse a stack of chimnies was blown down, breaking through the building and destroying some of the rooms. An old settler informs ns that he has not known such boisterous weather there for the last sixteen years. Altogether it was a most disagreeable day.