WILD WEATHER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2677, 29 December 1923, Page 2

WILD WEATHER.

TERRIFIC NOR'-WESTER VISITS

CANTERBURY.

LINES DOWN, CROPS LEVELLED

Christchurch Last Night.

One of the most terrific northwesters that have been experienced in Canterbury for very many years, visited the city and country to-day. An immense amount of damage lias been done to the gardens in all paris of Christchurch, trees being broken down and uprooted, while buildings have been damaged aud fences levelled.

Havoc was played with the boats at Lyttelton and Redelifl's. The telegraph lines w. e interrupted on (he East and West Coasts to a disastrous extent.

In one case the roof of the (llasnevis Railway Station was blown off carrying away the telegraph lines and demolishing two poles. The full force of the gale was experienced at Lyttelton. Accompanying the violent squalls, were clouds of dust and pebbles. People found il difficult to get about. Fruit trees in exposed places suffered much damage, and other trees were uprooted, and fences, roofs and verandahs suffered.

One end of the church at Glenmark was blown out and the roof of the railway station lifted off. Crops in stock were swept clean nwav. The standing grain was broken down and will not be worth cutting. At Amberley and elsewhere, windmills, outbuildings, trees and stacks were blown down and oats in stook were blown miles away. Traffic on the north railway line was interrupted, owing to trees falling aoross the metals. At Waiau sheets of iron were stripped from the houses, sheds demolished. trees smashed and uprooted and fruit trees stripped of t heir fruit.

’ At Leeston a large willow tree at the rear of a residence was up-root-ed and fell on the house, the inmates having a narrow escape. WELLINGTON SUFFERS FROM GALE. Wellington, December 2S. Wellington experienced wild weather last night. The light wind in the evening developed into a gale in the early hours of the morning, there being a heavy rainfall. A certain amount of damage has been reported. A number of fences and hoardings and the wireless aerial on the military barracks were blown down. The gale continued this morning. The harbour in particular is feeling the effects. It lias been necessary to postpone all the holidays attractions.