STORMS AND FIRES

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1928, Page 2

STORMS AND FIRES

WELLINGTON’S GALE. SEVERAL FIRE OUTBREAKS. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 16. So far from easing, the southerly storm which prevailed yesterday, increased in fury as the evening approached and the night was an exceedingly wild one. Fences and trees suffered very considerably and quite a number of big pi nes were levelled. A house was unroofed at Island Bay, and exposed to the full force of the wind and thrown on two other houses, which were damaged. The launch, Roma, which was wrecked some time ago at tile Heads and re-floated, was blown ashore high and dry, and other small boats at Island Bay also suffered.

'illrough the electric light lines being damaged, the power was cut off in Lynl! Ray.

This morning slips are reported everywhere, none, however, being apparently serious except a great one oil the Mutt Road at the new tunnel mouth, and extending to the cycle track, almost cutting off traffic. It is lucky it has not, as the railway washouts, are such that from present reports. it may possibly he some weeks before traffic can he restored. Numbers of windows have been blown in at various places.

An unenviable task fell to the fire brigade at four-thirty in the morning, when' a lire broke out in a wooden building at 8 Taranaki Street. The premises were practically unoccupied there being only a plumber’s shop on the first floor of F. Cooper. The flames spread to the two-storey furniture factory of Reynard and Jtinict in 16 Ghu/.nec Street, which with its contents was severely damaged. A portion of the building at tbe rear was totally destroyed,) and tbe Forresters Anns Hotel was only saved by strenuous efforts, and the fact that a brictk wall intervened. Tbe occupants of the hotel made a hurried exit, but the place was only scorched and damaged by water. An unoccupied wooden cottage at the roar in Egmont Street, was damaged by lire and water, also- the workshop of A hired and Griffiths, sheet- metal workers. On the other side of the premises, where the fire originated, was Hill and Jacksons, painters and paper-hangers. The contents did not suffer, a concrete wall effectually preventing the lire talking a hold. . The buildings are all old wooden ones, which were to have been demolished in the near future. ,he damage is not estimated with certainty. The cause is attributed to vagrants sleeping in the unoccupied portion of the building, where the fire was discovered.

MUCH WELLINGTON DAMAGE, WELLINGTON, August Hi.

Although breaking no records as to force of wind or the amount of rain which fell, the storm of the last three days will he remembered for the long contiuuanecnn d damage to the Hutt. The gale yesterday reached its maximum intensity between twothirty and six-thirty in the afternoon, coinciding with the high tide, lienee the damage to the railway during that period. There were frequent gusts of wind at over fifty miles an hour. In the early hours this morning, the force of the gale was even greater. From 1.30 the maximum gust recorded then was 57. The records were taken at lvelburn, and in the more exposed l>lack's, the ‘force would be greater. During three days. 437 points of rain has fallen in Wellington, nearly hall during '24 hours ended at 9 a.m. today, and 231 points at the Hutt. Ihe river is very high.

The City Council was assisted by the release of’ all possible conveyances, but was obliged to carry on its own bus services in tin* suburbs, and so could relieve the position, but little. It ’ had its own problems, slips on Seatoun, Brooklyn, and "\\adestown routes having to be cleared. On the Wadestown tram route early passengers had to be conveyed by bus. Every available vehicle will be put on tbc Hntt road to cope with the heavy homeward loading this evening. Loose rotten rock, where the new railway line at Tawa Flat leaves the Hutt Road has always given trouble and it is here that the big slip has come down on the Hutt Road. It is at least half the size of the slip near Ngalmuranga last winter. There is just room for one-way traffic, as was also the ease a year ago. It is fortunate that the ground about the tunnel did not give way, as the workeis might temporarily have been imprisoned. Small slips have occurred at other parts of the deviation works. The Public Works Department is collecting all plant, men and material that can he spared, and all resources of the Department are being placed at fho disposal of the Railway Department. A steam shovel is being put on. and material from the slip will he used for railway wash-outs. Apart from the big slip on the Hutt Road no serious slips are reported, though minor ones have occurred in a number of places. A lorry ran into one in Ilorokiwi Valley, where a big slip occurred recently, but the road was cleared by 10.45. Service cars, however, by that time had sent passengers and luggage on by rail. Small slips are reported on the Rimutnka Hill, also at Taita Gorge.