TERRIFIC WESTERLY GALES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3616, 22 March 1927, Page 3

TERRIFIC WESTERLY GALES.

TELEGRAPH LINES BROKEN. BY FALLING TREES. LINESMAN’S NARROW ESCAPE. ‘During Sumlay’s gale one of the trees at the plantation which is becut down on the Himatangi Roal became uprooted and crashed through the telephone lines temporary severing telegraphic communication with the north and causing considerable delay and inconvenience, at the local post office yesterday. The same night another tree in the same plantation came down and broke the wires in another place. Yesterday the falling tree menace as a result of the gale became serious and numbers of trees fell some blocking the road and railway line. Linesmen and railway men were busy all day yesterday clearing the road and permanent way, which, at times, was a risky undertaking, owing to limbs and trees crashing down with the force of the gale.

Mr. T. Fuller, a member of the local P. and T. line staff, had a nar-, row escape from serious injury while engaged on this work yesterday. He had just placed a ladder in position on a telegraph pole preparatory to climbing, when he heard a tree cracking and ran out of the way. As he did so a huge tree crashed down and smashed the ladder which he had just placed in position. Had he been up the pole at the time it would have been impossible for him to have escaped injury or possibly death. A residence in Thynne ptreet had the sheet iron torn off the roof eaily on Sunday morning and deposited it in an adjacent section. During Sunday night the dah of the Bowling Club pavilion was lifted off by the gale and hurled into Avenue Road, smashing down portion of the iron fence, but, fortunately missing the electric wires. One large pine tree in Vitcoria Park crashed to the earth at 6 a.m. on Monday while the tops of two other trees snapped off about thirtv feet from the ground. AT THE SEASIDE. Living 'conditions at the local seaside dining ‘ the westerly gales have been anything but pleasant. The force of the wind backed the water up to the residences on the river foreshore and drift wood was piled up in front of residences at h>gh tide. At Mr. Hart’s store goods had to he removed from the floor and the entrance to Mr. Perreau’s shop was piled up with drift wood. The road entrance to the river foreshore was blocked with a barricade of logs and drift wood, making it impossible for vehieulor or motor traffic. Great waves, broke on flic ocean beach and-the salt spray was carried far inland.

The river for several miles up presented a succession of waves and the water at high tide was forced by the action of the gale over an area of low-lying country on the north side. Water yesterday covered a portion of the Beach road midway from the turn oif the Lady’s Mile, and a cottage in the locality was surrounded with water. From this point southward to the river was a sheet of water. Residents at the seaside yesterday, despite the gale were busy collecting and stacking wood brought down by the flood. Portion of the Harbour Board’s jetty was washed away and much minor damage done to seaside residences. The blockage of the road to the river foreshore for traffic should impress the Harbour Board with the necessity for completing the road through the sanatorium. The water at the wharf was within two feet of the top but no damage was done. About two inches of rain fell during the week end, but the wind soon dried up the roads. Local gardens and orchards suffered from the storm. The storm seems to have blown itself out. to-day. STORM ELSEWHERE. Wellington, Last Night. After a long spell of fine weather, lasting nearly three months, and remarkable for the almost total absence of strong winds, Wellington experienced an equinoctial storm of great intensity during the weekend. A gustly north-west increased to the force of a strong gale during Saturday night, and shortly before 4 o’clock on Sunday morning the squalls attained a velocity of 46 miles an hour. Heavy quails and a downpour of rain in parts of the city during the afternoon heralded the remarkable storm, which swept over the haibour shortly after 10 o’clock on Sunday night. Pahiatua, March 21. Very stormy weather conditions prevailed here over the week-end—-a heavy thunderstorm, downpours of hail, showers, and wintry elements—which continued to-day Water found its way into a shoe shop in Mam Street and damaged the stock. Wanganui, March 21. During the week-end gale conditions were most unple.asa.nt. Gardens and orchards suffered considerably. Fruit was blown from the trees and damaged, and trees and shrubs were smashed.