THE WEATHER.

Kumara Times, Issue 510, 16 May 1878, Page 2

THE WEATHER.

Yesterday evening the wind again increased in force, and culminated in its height about midnight, there bein<* at intervals very vivid lightning, accompanied by heavy thunder. The fo-ce of the wind was terrific, or to quote the words of Dickens, "there was a wailing rushing sound which shook the walls as though a giant's hand were on them, then a hoarse roar, as if the sea had risen; then such a whirl and tumult, that the air seemed mad and then with a lengthened howl, the waves of wind swept on." Although no serious accident occurred there were very narrsw escapes from fallen trees and shattered tents.

Farther north, we find the Argus reports a calamitous WIND STORM AT GREYMOUTH.

During the early part of yesterday the weather was changeable, and about noon +here were some signs of the sky clearing. In the afternoon, however, the wind and rain returned with increased violence, and at night the storm was accompanied by frequent flashes of lightening and loud c'aps of thunder. Between 10 and 11 a.m., gusts of wind blew with great force over the town, throwing down fences and threatening to unrriof substantially erected buildings. Such execrable weather has not been experienced within the memory of the oldest identity.

About 10.45 p.m. the storm culminaten in a tremendous blast, lasting only a few minutes, but during the. continuance of which an immense amount of damage, the full extent of which cannot yet be ascertained, was done. While it lasted the air was literally thick with flying pieces of sheet iron, iron chimneys, and pieces of timber, and had it happened during the day, when people were about in the streets, it cannot be doubted that lives must have bean lost. The most serious accident occurred at the Melbourne Hotel, where a brick, chimney fell, crushing through the roof into a private parlor, and thence through She floor into the parlor behind the bar. A minute previously his Honor Judge Weston was sitting in the upstairs parlor, and had he remained in the room his life must inevitably have been sacri-

ficed. In fact bis Honor had barely left the room when the catastrophe happened. In the bar-parlor some gentlemen were sitting, but, hearing the crash overhead, had time to clear out, when the ceiling came down with a crash, smashing every article of furniture in the room. The strongly-built verandah, round the hotel was literally wrecked, heavy sheets of iron and. the woodwork being carried away and deposited all along Mackay street. Next to the Melbourne, the b*ck premises of Messrs Forsyth and Masters suffered most severely. The whole of one side of the roof was stripped, and bnfe for the wooden lining the upper floor/rjmust inevitably have been swept of itsicontents. As it is, very great damage has been done, and likely to be increased should rain fall beavily before the roof has been replaced. On the other side of the street, the Masonic Hall has been much shaken, and considerable injury has been done to the front of Mr Badger's private residence. Farther down the street (Mackay street) Contessa's store has been completely wrecked, the wind having mnde a clean sweep through it, taking away windows, side, . roof, and everything that could be * wrenched from its fastenings. At i Robertson and Adam's tinsmiths' shops " the widow gave way before the great pressure of the gale, and the next moment the whole roof, rafters and all, was carried away, leaving the interior quite exposed. 'Mr Felix Campbell's store, nearly adjoining, did not escape, the roof on one side being lifted, but. not sufficiently to allow of the rain beating in. It is impossible to say. as yet what other serious damage "has been done. The whole length of Mawhera Quay has suffered more or less. The verandah of the Albion Hotel is a wreck, windows have been broken in the Bank of New j South Wales and in several shops— in I short the whole Htreet presents an aj)pearance not unlike that which follows a great conflagration or a heavy bomb<rdment. What other damage has j been done in the outlying portions of the town it is as yet impossible to say.