GALE IN COUNTRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1004, 21 June 1930, Page 1

GALE IN COUNTRY

PEDESTRIANS BLOWN OVER DAMAGE IN THAMES VALLEY Special to THE SUN TE AROHA, Friday. The Te Aroha district was visited by a fierce north-easterly gale today, and it is continuing tonight. More than an inch of rain fell during the 24 hours ending 9 p.m. A number of mishaps and minor damage are reported. A motorist, of Te Kuiti, Mr. G. Montifiore, was descending a steep bend on the Mercury Bay - Coroglen Road this morning when a slip of several tons of clay struck his oar on the side, carrying it to the edge of a cliff before it became wedged against a tree. Assistance was later given by road workers, who after two hours’ hard work removed the car | from its precarious position. Telegraph lines were blown down at Paeroa, and several haystacks were lifted . across Hauraki Plains roads. I Two milking sheds were blown over; at Kaihere and Kopuarahi. ACCIDENT NARROWLY AVERTED A motor-cyclist with a pillion passenger skidded on the greasy surface I of the narrow Ngahina bridge, in front of a car driven by Mr. T. Farrell, fields inspector to the Lands I>e- j partmeht, this afternoon. The skid ‘ 'caused the cyclist to fall almost under , the wheels of the oncoming car, but the driver swerved just in time to avoid running over the rider and his passenger. Mr. J. German was on his way to work this morning when he was lifted bodily off his feet by the wind, falling with his arm doubled under him. He was later medically treated for a broken bone in his right hand. An employees of a furnishing firm was carrying a pane of glass 42 inches in length when it broke as he went to turn a corner. Mr. R. E. Morrison, of the staff of the Bank of New Zealand, was swept off his feet, falling heavily on his right wrist, which was badly sprained. A 200-gallon galvanised iron tank was blown for nearly a quarter of j a mile out of the yard of Mr. J. B. Johnston, a hardware merchant. I Jn the main street of Te Aroha a j baby motor-car, driven by Mr. Norman Meehan, failed to negotiate the Bank of New’ Zealand corner, and w r as blow’n over on its side. A Tauranga - Franktou goods train was- pulling into Te Aroha when the wind got under the tarpaulin cover of the fourth wagon from the engine. The flying canvas dragged a porter. Mr. G. Bay, off the points lever on which he was sitting to keep the points in position. The lever automatically snapped back, causing three wagons to jump the rails. A gang cleared the line in an hour, holding up the evening Tauranga - Auckland express for about that space of time. The wagons are not badly damaged, and the line is now clear.

WHANGAREI RIVERS RISE

CLAYMORE’S ROUGH TRIP From Our Own Correspondent WHANGAREI, Friday. - Heavy rain has fallen in Whangarei ;all day and the rivers in the surrounding districts are rising rapidly. Roads are in a bad state and if the rain continues will be impassable. The Claymore berthed an hour late this morning and the captain said the ship ran into a hurricane from the east which raised mountainous waves. The weather showed no improvement this evening.

RAIN IN WAIKATO

TWO INCHES IN 24 HOURS From. Our Own Correspondent HAMILTON, Today. Nearly two inches of rain fell in the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. today. The Waikato River rose 2in. overnight and is still rising.