WINTRY WEATHER.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1916, Page 5

WINTRY WEATHER.

SEVERE HAILSTORM. The wintry weather of the past fe* days culminated yesterday morning in -a torrential downpour of rain, accompanied by vivid lightning and thunder, The suburbs on the higher levels, Westown; Frankleigh Park, and Vogeltown, we*o visited by a very severe hailstorm, tho se\ crest that-has been recorded in Taranaki for many years Hailstones almost and inch square fell, the rattle as they , struck the corrugated iron of the houses in the vicinity being deafening 1 , and startling to many of the occupants. Windows were hi .iken- in several houses, whilst gardens suffered sever sly. \ Messrs. Duncan and Duvws' nurseries suffered heavy damage, the glass of five greenhouses being badly shattered. Th,e spring flowers were also damaged, the daffodils and hyacinths being mined. This is unfortunate in view of the fine display that the firm usually make as the spring shows. Fruit trees suffered, being denuded of buds. At Frankleigh Park quite a number of windows wcr© broken, whilst Mr. Frethey's greenhouses were also considerably damaged. v In shady places the hailstones were t» be sen until late in the afternoon, aifd some idea of the force with which they struck the ground could be gleaned front (lie indentations left in the soil after the , storm had passed over. Evidently the storm was purely a local one, as resi> dents of Avenue bond, practically on tut same level, escaped the visitation.