SEVERE GALE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1006, 15 September 1877, Page 3

SEVERE GALE.

At Ashburton, on Thursday morning,_ a fresh north-wester commenced to blow, which gradually increased in strength, and on Friday morning it became a regular gale, which filled the houses in the township with dust and made walking very uncomfortable. On Friday, at 3.30, there was no appearance of its abating. The only casualty of consequence is the blowing down of the new Wesleyan Parsonage, which occurred about 3 a.m. on Friday. The builders had got the frame work up, and the rafters in their places, and when leaving off work on Thursday all was apparently right, but on Friday morning the large two-storey house was -levelled to the ground. It is thought that the building, being on stone piles, and situated in a most) exposed place, commenced to rock, and gradually moved to the edge of the piles, when it went to pieces. The material is very little damaged, considering everything, and the builders hope to have it in position again in a few days. On Thursday night a heavy north-west gale blew at Oxford, accompanied by showers of rain. The wind blew in the windows of the shop of Mr Adams, tinsmith, and five out of aix of the panes of a new shop in course of erection next to Mr Comyn's, the baker. Towards morning the wind lulled, and a steady north-west rain began to fall. At Oust, the strongest wind which has been experienced for a considerable time has been blowing during the last twenty-four hours. As illustrating its force it may be mentioned that a temporary stable erected lately by Eev. H. S. Hamilton has been completely unroofed, and the roof carried a distance.of fully fifty feet. The porch of the Koad Board office now measures its length upon the ground, and in several other ways, with less surprising results, the wind has given example of its unusual force and strength.