THE RECENT GALE.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 203, 14 May 1887, Page 2

THE RECENT GALE.

A storm of exceptional severity set in on last Sunday night, which by daylight on Monday morning had increased to a regi^ar hurricane, accompanied by torrents of rain. Thia state of things continued almost without intermission till early Tuesday morning, when the weather rapidly moderated ; although at intervals since then the wind has been very high and a great quantity of rain has fallen. Altogether the gale is the most severe th.it has been experienced here during the past four years. At Te Arob<», several fences in the township wore blown down, and the heavy flood in the creek did some slight damage to the new bridge across Whitaker street, with these exceptions but little injury was done. At Waiorongomai, the gale raged apparently with greater violence than at Te Aroha; as the hoppers at the battery were completely unroofed ; a two-room cottage, the property of Mr Crump, was blown t"> pieces, one belonging to Mr Marshall (Thames), unroofed ; and the roof blown off Mr Montague's stable. At Stoney Creek, several feet of the brick chimney in ft house occupied by Mr Fugill wa9 blown down. The approaches to the new bridge over Waiorongomai Creek were washed away, and the bridge rendered useless for the time being. At Shaftesbnry tiie gale raged with great severity ; Mr Squirrell, storekeeper, being the principal sufferer, as a quantity of goods placed in a large twostorey building adjoining his store, were much broken and injured by the rain, etc, through the building being overturned nnd generally wrecked. The building referred to, was the property of Mr E. Y. Cox, and was, we believe, imported from England, and put together according to English plans. Fortunately Mr Squirrell's general store escaped, and the mishap w ill not in any way affect the carrying on of his businesp. 'The end of the building styled the Temperance Hotel, latterly used for school purposes, was carried away ; a stable lower down the road was also demolished (both the property of Mr E. Y. Cox). The telephono wire was thrown down by the collapse of the two-storey building referred to. Messrs Thompson and Herries 1 chimney was Wotirn down. As was to bo expected, tho roads generally throughout the district have suffered .more or less.