SEVERE STORM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 168, 3 December 1912, Page 4

SEVERE STORM.

PHENOMENAL 11 AIM"'ALL. With startling suddenness a torrential storm vented its fury on New Plymouth yesterday morning, just about tlie time most folk were setting out for their places of business, it was not of very long duration, but while it lasted it was of very great severity. There was an exceptionally heavy downpour of rain, the severest experienced locally for several years past, and it was accompanied by a terriiic thunderstorm, the heavens being heavily charged with electricity. Short as its visitation was, the storm nevertheless sufficed to play havoc in many gardens and orchards, particularly those on the higher level, swept several inches of blinding material from numerous streets, and generally caused great inconvenience to pedestrians, especially those resident in the suburbs.

. Those wending their way to the town via Leach street were confronted with a raging torrent—which was utterly impassable—while at the intersection ol Carrington Road and Vivian street, which the railway bridge used to traverse there was a deep lake of no small dimensions.

In the vicinity of John street, near the racecourse, the accumulation ol storm water left abundant traces of the severity of the storm, much damage being done to private property. Owing to the insufficient drainage, John street was rapidly transformed into a waterrace, which poured into Archdeacon Evans' garden, and then rushed over the steep bank as a roaring waterfall, Reaching the lower levels, it played sad havoc in Mr. F. P. Corkill's grounds, and on tha town side of Ridge Lane demolished many of the shrubs planted by the Boy Scouts. Mr. Corkill must have been a very heavy loser. Fortunately the -effects of the downpour were not felt very much in the Recreation Grounds, as, is gathered from the following paragraph contained in the report by the curator (Mr. W. W. Smith) to a meeting of the Board last evening:—"The thunderstorm this morning between 8 and 10 o'clock was the heaviest experienced in the Park during the last four and a half years. At 0.20 a heavy rush of water came down the lake, but the by-channel was quite equal to carrying it. Excepting the scouring bf parts of the walk no further damage was done."

The culverts in the main street were taxed to their utmost, .and in many cases wore unequal to the task of coping willi phenomenal accumulation of water, and at a number of the street crossings the sidewalks were flooded to the temporary exclusion of pedestrian and light vehicular traffic. The storm was at its height at a quarter to nine, and by that time the Huatoki had risen to within a short distance of the orown of the arch at the Devon street bridge. With the cessation of the storm, however. tlve waters rapidly subsided. The surface water found its way into several business premises, the most, serious losers being, T. Averv (bookseller), Morcy and Son (drapers), and Calvert'* (whose drapery window stock was all spoilt). A loose .board in the roof let the invading rain into Bellringer Bros' office, which was flooded out, while some of the stock on display in Plumtree's window was damaged. The electric disturbance put a )ar'«e number of telephones out of action through the fusing of wiros, but the employees of the Telegraph Department quickly righted matters. The rain was accompanied bv a heavv hail storm, the stones being of unusual magnitude, but onlv portions of the town were visited in this manner.