THE WEATHER.

Kumara Times, Issue 507, 13 May 1878, Page 2

THE WEATHER.

On Saturday afternoon the bad weather which has prevailed almost without intermission for the past three weeks culminated in a tremendous storm, accompanied at intervals by heavy falls of rain. ’ All through the district trees, some of them of immense size, were blown over, blocking up roads, tracks, and tramways in all directions, The Zig-zag was rendered quite impassible ; and somo idea of the force of the wind may be gathered from the tact that in the Hospital Reserve alone between 20 and 30 trees came to the ground. At one time it seemed probable that a very large pine standing in front of the hospital would fall mam it, and four men were at once employed to ent it down-a task which was with difficulty accomplished just before the gale reached its height.. Throughout Saturday night, Sunday, and last night the storm continued, the wind blowing from many points, but with the greatest degree of force from the N.W., bringing with it the sound of heavy surf falling on the coast. Between 3 and 4 o’clock this morning a sharp thunderstorm passed over the town, followed by a heavy fall of hail. To-day the weather has been changeable, but as we write the glass is vising, and the bine sky can be

seen for the first time for several days between the clouds.

GREYMOUTH. The Grey River Argus says The prediction of Captain Edwin, published on Saturday, as to the probability of had weather, was amply verified, for on Saturday morning a gale burst over this part of the Coast which for intensity has not been exceeded by any previous visitation of the kind. The wind veered from alll points of the compass, blowing chiefly, and with the greatest force, from the N.N.W., some of the gusts being so strong as to make it a difficult .thing for pedestrians to face them. The rain fill fitfully in heavy showers during the day and night, and, with the change of wind to S.W. yesterday, came down in torrents. As might he expected, a good deal of damage has been done. Te l egranhic communication was suspended except with Hokitika, and the roads up country were blocked up with fallen trees and slips, especially between Ahaura and Greymonth. The railway manager had to put on a body of men to remove timber and debris which had fallen upon the line in various places, and several heavy slips have occurred on the Marsden road. In town a number of windows were blown in and damage done to roots and verandahs. The force of the wind was so strong as to bend the vane at the top of the tower of the State school, although it was of iron fully an inch 'thick at the bottom and closely bolttd to solid timbers. A newly completed brick chimney was blown down at M'Kiuty’s Hotel, and at Bruunertown the new store for Mr Joseph Taylor was blown over, and more or less damage was done to cottages in the neighborhood. The Gorge bridge did not su (finally injury. Of course no shipping business could be done,as nothing could get out, and outside a fearful sea rolled in, which, at high water, sent heavy waves right into the lagoon, washing over the bridge. , At the time we write if. is raining heavily, with no present appearance of ceasing, but as yet the river shows no signs of a flood, and probably the rain has not extended far up country. It is a mnarka.be thing that in all other parts ot the Colony exce.pt the West Coast, fine calm weather prevailed up t>> the time at winch thewir'es were broken. We may add that one of the linemen had a very narrow escape as he was riding up the Grey Yalley road, a large, tree being blown over so close to him as to graze his horse with one of the branches. Gilmer s Reefton eoa) managed to get down as far as the coach mines, bat in face of great difficulties;- The mails and passengers were brought down by train, but the ' coach only reached Greymouth yesterday afternoon.

HOKITIKA. This morning’s West Coast Times reports : —The weather of the last two days has been so exceptionallv severe that there is no excuse needed for recording the vagaries of the wind, which has forced itself more un- . pleasantly than usual on public notice. On Friday last, Captain Turnbull received a weather telegram from Wellington, stating that there were indications of a falling glass; and of strong gales from between north and west and south-west On Friday night the glass showed a gradual, but slight downward tendency, until Saturday morning, when it fell with great rapidity, and the wind increased to a gale from north east to north. At about two p.m. it veered found to north and north-west with, if anything, increased force, raising a very heavy sea. In the evening it shifted to the southwest, still blowing hard, and so continued until midnight, when’ 'it moderated somewhat, shifting to east south-east, remaining without a change until daylight on Sunday morning. At ten a.m. the wind shifted to the northeast and north, blowing furiously in hard squalls until two p.m. when it again shifted to south-west. On Saturday morning the barometer fell to 29.126, showing a fall within 22 hours of one inch or a little over. On Saturday evening the glass rose again to 29.58, but ieir again to 29.44 yesterday at mid-day. Fortunately the tides were neap, otherwise the heavy sea must have done some damage to the houses on the west side of Bevellstreet. As it was, at Manson’s right-of-way the surf penetrated as far as Revell-atreet. The principal mischief’ was caused by the wind, which was so violent as to unroof several houses,' among others Walker’s Dunedin Hotel, which suffered considerably. Glaziers will have a fine time of it, for the number of glass windows demolished is legion. Fences ami out-buildings suffered very much, and various ingenious, but not always sucoes-ful devices for keeping them in an upright position were resorted to. At the slaughter yards some damage was dime, 1 but fortunately nothing of much coiise-

quence. Yesterday afternoon there was a very heavy squall of wind and rain, with thunder and lightning, after which the wind veered to south-west and the weather cotitinued stormy almost until the time of our going to press.

THE LYELL AND DULLER DISTRICTS. The heavy weather now being experienced was quite as severely felt at Lyell a week ago. The correspondent writes One of the most voilentgales experienced for years swept over the Lyell and Upper Duller last Saturday and on Sunday. The storm was accompanied by a downpour of rain, which caused a heavy flood in the Duller and its WMle the storm was, at its cottages were liftecr off the piles, aud hurled about 20 feet down the Lyell Creek. A stable belonging to Mr Fennell was also burled over, leaving the bewildered hoise if contained standing at his stall unhurt. The Lyell Argus office received a considerable shaking, but owing to the heavy articles it contained it successfully weathered the gale. A portion of the road at Hampden has been considerably damaged, and a portion of Mr Moonlight’s premises, consisting of one wing of the house kitchen, and verandah, was swept away by the flood. Four Chinamen, while crossing the Duller in a canoe, got capsized, aud one of them was drowned. The deceased, being the only one of who could swim, stuck to the canee, ahd gut carried down stream and sank; while the three others waded safely ashore.;—A' miner named Silas. Gabriel was smothered'by a fall of earth, which took place in his claim at Hampden about a’ mile from Moonlight’s store. ’The unfortunate man was working in the claim with his mate when a fall of earth took--place, completely burying the deceased. His mats immediately ran to the nearest store for assistance, and upon returning found deceased’s legs protuding. Upon, tiie body being dug out.life was., found to lie extinct. The body was buried without an inquest, owing to the Co-o-uer being unable to attend through the floods.—Ryan’s punt- at the Lye'l has been swept, away, but has bqeu--found down the river near Westport.