BLOWING BIG GUNS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 341, 30 April 1928, Page 1

BLOWING BIG GUNS

Worst Gale For Many Years Swoops Up Hauraki Gulf SCOW WASHED ASHORE BLOWING up from the east last evening a heavy gale, described by shipping men at' one of the worst experienced in Auckland for several years, raged with considerable intensity throughout the night and during the morning. Damage to shipping and pleasure craft is reported, and in the city and country districts telephone lines were damaged by failing trees.

Ia direct contrast to its usually placid surface the Waitemata presented a very troubled appearance this morning. With the force of the gale opposed to an outgoing tide there was a heavy lop lop. Seas were running high and through the driving sleet and rain ferry boats and launches could be seen covered in showers of 3pray as they battled against the fury of the gale. In the words of the longshoremen, it was a "dirty morning.” FERRY BOATS AWASH ferry boats bound for Devonport were digging heavily into the pitching seas. Those outward bound for Stanley Bay were rolling “guns under." Decks were almost constantly awash and those whose occupations and places of residence daily take them down to the sea in ships found excitement sufficient to banish even the usual Monday morning feeling. The ferries, however, were handled with the customary skill and no damage of any description occurred Launches, which of necessity had to go about their lawful occasions, suffered strenuous times. The pilot boat from Devonport which put out this morning to the assistance of a vessel which was dragging at anchor received a particularly severe buffeting. AN ANXIOUS TIME Hulks and other laid-up craft in the harbour came in for an anxious time. Throughout the night, and especially between 2 and 4 o’clock in the morning, when the gale was at its worst, they strained heavily at their chains, the Union Steam Ship Company’s vessel Kaitoke, which was lying off Campbell's Point, dragging her anchor for some considerable distance. Despite the excellent seamanship of the watchman, who constantly eased the anchor in an attempt to find good holding, she continued to drag and passed across the bows of the Kaiwarra,

which was also at moorings. She stopped, however, when the tide turned at about half-past nine and later in the day she was shifted by the Waimea to a fresh anchorage. The new harbour works at Devonport also suffered from the force of the gale, part of the break-wind being blown down and a big light-standard going over the side.

According to the American steamer West Elcajon, which arrived shortly after nine o’clock, heavy seas were running in the Gulf. At about half-past nine the tide turned and from then on the seas abated considerably, although the wind continued to blow with considerable force throughout the remainder of the morning. The velocity of the wind for the 24 hours ending at 9 o’clock this morning was 310 miles, an average of approximately 13 miles an hour. As the wind came largely in gusts its force at its worst periods must have been considerable. The rain was of" a sleety nature and for this period only .71 points were recorded. PILED ON BREASTWORK SCOW DRAGS ANCHOR VESSEL BADLY BATTERED The scow Maggie, moored off J. J. Craig’s shingle yard at King’s Wharf, dragged her anchor at two o’clock this morning, and was piled on the breastwork running at right angles to the wharf. The Maggie arrived yesterday with a cargo of shingle from the Hauraki Gulf, and was anchored with two other scows in readiness for discharging to-day. The scow, which normally carries i a crew of three, had no one on board