SEVERE GALE IN CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5473, 11 October 1878, Page 3

SEVERE GALE IN CANTERBURY.

Christchurch, September 25.

During the gale to-day the now Presbyterian Church at Lincoln, lately erected at a cost of £7OO, was levelled to the ground. A goods station on the railway* line was also blown down. Mr. Conyers, the Commissioner of Hallways, left at five o’clock in a special train to visit the scene of the disaster. September 20. The gale and hot winds throughout the pro* vinco have continued to-day, and the result has been'more serious than was anticipated, indeed the rising of the principal rivers has not been so great since 1870, and the damage done has been very serious all over the province, to say nothing’of houses, roofs, and chimneys that have been _ blown down in nearly every township in Canterbury. The railway has suffered a good deal, and traffic has been stopped between Christchurch and the* south as well ns on the northern line. Three spans of the Bangrtata bridge,-120ft. long, have been washed away, so cutting off all communication, north and south of that place. The Eakaia has also greatly risen,: and if the hot wind continues it Is feared the bridge will be impassable to-morrow., The river is a mile and a half wide, and tho water is nearly level with tho top of the bridge. Tho Waimakairiri rose very high, and

stopped the tramfromranningthismorning. The injury to the line is near the old place, and the protective works;so far are ineffectual. After the rivers have subsided railway travelling will probably be resumed in a day or so. But the Kangitata break must continue for some days, if not weeks, as more of the bridge will probably go diu'ing to-night. A passenger by the train from Timaru to Christchurch yesterday morning, leaving Timaru at a quarter -past seven, describes the journey c* an immensely exciting one. In the vicinity of the tosvnships the air at times seemed to be laden with awkward missiles, such as planks, sheets of galvanised iron, rails, tins, &c, Stoppages to clear the line were frequent. When nearing.the Ashburton station one of these stoppages occurred, and at that time tho scene was wild in the extreme,—match lining and heavier planks were being hurled with terrific force; and suddenly a crash was heard, which made the occupants of one of the carriages drop on to the floor fearing that some of the planks were about to behead them—a heavy plank had in fact struck the carriage, crashing through some of the panels under the windows. A few minutes later the verandah of Messrs. Montgomery’s new building was being.swayed up and down, “the glass flying from it in showers almost like snow.” On several buildings the iron roofing was blowing about as if it were so much paper.