SEVERE DAMAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 October 1933, Page 6

SEVERE DAMAGE

TERRIFIC GALE IN VICTORIA.

ACCIDENTS AND MISHAPS.

(Australian Press Association)

(Received this day at 12.10 p.m.)

MELBOU RNE, October 24.

A'windstorm of'-'exceptional .violence caused damage in every suburb of MelIjoufiie, and ,'jn many country districts. House and other premises were unroofed',>’fences levelled, trees uprooted, and hoods torn from motor cars.

- 3,’he .gale also caused aii interruption in the telegraphic services, and electric light wires were,dragged to the ground by flying roofs. Severe gusts carried moving ear* across roads. Several accidents have been reported. • The residents of some suburbs say that even the houses were shaken.

Wrenched . from its position by the gale a large piece of timber crashed from the wall above the judge’s bench •while Mr Justice MacEarlane was addressing the jury in the criminal court, and struck a policeman on the head and , another man on the shoulder. The .former was stunned.

The, mooring lines of. the liner Ballarat, consisting ,pf four manilla ropes and two;steel hawsers, snapped and the vesgel. drifted rapidly away from the pier, the gangway crashing against the .side cf the ship. The Ballarat was later tied up .again. , ’fhe velocity of -the - wind reached fifty-nine miles an, hour.