THE GALE IN TIMARU DISTRICT.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1483, 16 November 1878, Page 3

THE GALE IN TIMARU DISTRICT.

TWO LIVES LOST. [MOM THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE PRESS.] Timabh, November 15. A fearful north-west gale swept over the town this morning. It culminated about 11.30 a.m., when it was blowing with a fury never before experienced in the district. Dust and debris filled the air like a thick cloud of smoke, and it was almost impossible to venture out of doors. About 1130 a.m. the roof of a tenement at the foot of North street, occupied by Drew (Mr Ormsby’s mpler), wife, and two children, blew off. Mrs Drew rushed towards the fireplace, where the youngest child,_ aged seven months, was asleep, to rescue it, when the chimney fell on both of them. Drew, who had just entered the house, used frantic exertions to release them, but by the time he succeeded the child was dead. Mrs Drew, who was dreadfully crushed, expired within ten minutes afterwards. On the Levels plains two houses are reported to be blown down, while in Timaru a great deal of damage has been done to outbuildings, fences, and houses in course of erection. At Waimate the bush is on fire, and two houses are already burnt. All parts of the district suffered severely, but the full extent of the damage is not yet made known. The wind dropped at five'o’clock, but shortly afterwards came up furiously from the south-west. It is now (eight o’clock) calm again.