CHRISTMAS STORMS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1933, Page 2

CHRISTMAS STORMS

a rr MUCH DAMAGE at ASHBURTON

POLES DOWN ) CROPS LEVELLED

(Per Press Association, Copyright)

ASHBURTON,. December 26,

With heavy snow in the back country; the mountains white-mantled to the plains, and gales that overthrew many power poles and flattened hundreds of acres of crops, the Christmas week-end was one of the most memorable Ashburton has known.

About ten o’clock cm Saturday night, the north west winds developed into gale force, persisting for several hours in the town. Great loss of fruit and the levelling of fences w.s caused in the country, where oats were laid low. It :is considered doubtful if much will stand up again.

Many country people bad a try ng time, dragging trees off the roads before their cars could proceed. A) remarkable experience befel one party, a. power, pole falling on their cal' just in front of the windscreen, but the wires jerked it back sufficiently to .allow the car to proceed. A lady occupant was cut on the chsst and hands by glass from the windscreen. A few chains further on another pole fell .in front of tho car, entangling the wires round ihe bonnet. The driver, skilfully manipulating the car, the pole was finally cleared. Poles and trees across Ith© rond compelled the party to spend the night av a nearby farm.

THUNDERSTORM AT MELBOURNE

FLOODS DISLOCATE TRAFFIC

MELBOURNE, December 26

The Christmas Day festivities suddenly ended at Melbourne late in the afternoon, when a terrific thunderstorm broke over the city and suburbs. The city streets were flooded land traffic was (dislocated. It was nearly an hour before the trams could leave the ciiv. Water rushed over the bonnets of motor cars, hundreds of cars being stranded in the streets.

More than six . hundred families were .forced to abandon their homer, at Kensington, when ..the canal outle; from the Moonee Ponds creek broke fts ibank kst night. Thousmas <i> tons 6f earth and water -went through ten streets in the low-lving area adjoining the ; creek. The damage was very heavy. Early this morning a cheek showed that several people are .not accounted for.

AUCKLAND'S WINTRY WEATHER

AUCKLAND, December 26,

The week-end holiday ill Auckland was marred by a blustering wind and scattered light showers. The temperature . dropped- yesterday* with the result that .firo s were lit in many homes. To-dav, the weather is still cool and the sky is overcast, but the eondirions have not necessitated changes in holiday-makers’ plans.