Vicious Gale Sweeps Wellington and District

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 52, 4 March 1944, Page 4

Vicious Gale Sweeps Wellington and District

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE AND DISLOCATION. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 3. Blowing iu practically direct from the south and accompanied by squalls a heavy gale swept Wellington city and district today. From about 9 p.m. on Thursday when the first strong gusts were felt a damaging storm raged, property suffered in varying degree. Trees were blown down, service lines were broken and in the llutt Valley breakages occurred in the power lines causing considerable dislocation in the service to consumers. -tius were delayed due t ; mults developing in the signals systems and yachts moored in Evans Bay received a severe battering, several being driven ashore or sunk. The botanical gardens had their hardest lashing for many years. The planes of the Cook Strait Airways service were grounded and those in Union Airway! service had to land at Paraparauiuu instead of ltongotai. Wind velocities of up to 82 miles aa hour were recorded periodically at Moa Point, Rongotai. There was a steady gale of 70 miles an hour at Kelburn which is less exposed. A consistent southerly blow of 60 miles an hour was recorded*with one gust of 76 miles an hour just before 6 a.m. The rainfall for the 24 hours ended at 9.30 ,a-m. today was 83 points and a further 36 points fell from then on to 3 p.m., bringing the total to 1.19 inches. The rainfall was stated to be heavier in the Hutt Valley. Heavy winds and rain were i-eported in Wairarapa. HEAVY GALE SWEEPS TARANAKI (Per press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, March 3. Damage was done to property in many parts of Taranaki by the southerly gale that swept the province last night and throughout to-day. Minor electric power interruptions were caused and telephone services were disrupted. Telegraph communications with the south were severed late last night and have not yet been restored. The telegraph line to Auckland was severed in mid-morning and New Plymouth was completely cut off from the rest of the country until the fault was repaired this afternoon. The greatest damage was caused at Patea where sheets of roofing iron and timber ripped off the railway siding canopy und strained the power lines. The gale made the repair of these lines too dangerous and the management was forced to close the works to-day. The roof of the Golf Club house at Patea, the verandah of a house at Haweru and the roof of a house at New Plymouth were blown off and several chimney* were blown down. LONG DELAYED RAIN FALLS IN MANAWATU The Manawatu’s lccord dry spell ha* at last been broken by beneficial fall* of rain. Farmers are greatly relieved as there is still time for pastures to come away in time for winter feed to accumulate. Naturally, of Palmerston North are also thankful a* it will help materially to relieve the domestic water shortage from Tiritea. It is explained, however, that people must not run away with the idea that the crisis is over. The work on the soak-well had to be stopped so that its water could bo put to immediate uae w’hcn the reservoir fell so alarmingly earlier in the week. The break in the main in the Tiritea valley has been repaired and the dam is again supplying water but the valves are only halfopen. The object is to allow the reservoir to fill up again so that the soak-well pump cun be stopped and the well finished and made flood-proof. Up to 9 a.m. yesterday morning only half an inch of rain had fallen on the hills and the inflow had only increased slightly. However, heavier rain fell later in the day end the situation should improve as a result. Citizens are still asked to use water sparingly. The last appreciable rain fell on January 20-21, when l.lSin. were registered. On February 10 (36 points) and February 22 (24 points) slight relief was given. The total fall for last month was only 1.21in. The hill country behind Ashhurst and Pohangina has received a heavy drenching, 2sin. of rain being recorded at Komalco bv Mr. G. M. Arbon for the 24 hours up to 9.30 a.m. yesterday. A further half an inch fell between then and middav. The fall was heavy overnight, and‘did not ease up until late in the morning. The Pohangina River has been in fairly high flood, reaching a peak of sft. 6in. by the gauge at Piripiri at 4 a.m. yesterday. Since then it has fallen and at noon was at 4ft. The Manawatu River has also risen. The Hawke’s Bay side of the ranges has not been seriously affected. Showers fell overnight at various places but they soaked into the parched soil immediately, and have had no effect on the river.