CYCLONE AT BLAKE TOWN

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1929, Page 6

CYCLONE AT BLAKE TOWN

STRUCTURES DAMAGED. GREYMOUTH, May 9. Shorty after 4.30 p.m. yesterday, dark clouds to westward lowered in an unusual manner, which presaged a cyclonic disturbance, causing some damage in iilaketowii', and extending further into ■ the town. . Coming straight in from the sea, the wind iirst unroofed completely the stabies of Mr 1 Ered ’ Gilbert, situated on the beach m a hollow over which the wind might have been expected to pass without doing damage. Nine loose boxes were unroofed, leaving in three of them trotting horses prancing about in great alarm. These were Proud Pointer, Rapahoc and a Matchlight filly. The life-saving reel stored in a corner at Air Gilbert’s place was blown into the middle of the yard. The damage done to the stables will cost about £2O to repair. The wind in its course next blew down Mr G. Hill’s fence, and crossing the small lagoon at the northern end of B.aketown it caught a new verandah in front of the house of Mr John Sheehan. Tearing it up by the posts from the flooring, the cyclone carried the verandah clean over the house and landed if into the main lagoon. The wind traversed the lagoon area in the direction of the Dispatch Foundry, from the roof of which it lifted some sheets of iron, but .no further damage is feported. Some of the iron from Gilbert’s racing stable was lifted a great height, and carried a distance of 250 yards into the lagoon. The track ot the wind, however, was narrow, or the damage would have been considerable.