THE WEATHER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2534, 27 July 1893, Page 3

THE WEATHER.

After a few days of early spring weather a very disagreeable change came on Tuesday about noon, in the shape of a strong nor-wester. Clouds of dust blew through Geraldine all the afternoon, trees and fences were broken down, windows smashed, and a few sundry iron roofs and thatches lifted from old buildings. The north-west side of the Geraldine Bush Park seems to have caught the severest part of the gale, for yesterday morning the Town Board found that over 150 large pines and totaras had been levelled with the ground. The fallen trees are mostly black pines, but there are also some white pines and totaras. The overseer measured the stump of one of the trees, and found it fully twenty feet across, and some of these stumps brought up tons of earth with them, so the fierce nature of the gale can easily be imagined. It seems a great pity to see these magnificent trees lying in dozens on the ground, only to be cut up by the Domain Board and sold for firewood. It certainly shows the great need for a practical celebration of Arbor Day at Geraldine, for even if the native bush cannot be replaced, other trees may be planted, which will act as a break wind to what native trees there are in the bush. If some protection is not made at once, it is almost certain that Geraldine’s pretty native bush will in time die out. At Temuka we have not heard of any serious damage being done, but getting about the streets during the afternoon was very unpleas mt, the air being full of dust. In the evening there was a light fall of rain. Yesterday morning was spring-like, but shortly afternoon it turned very cold, and at intervals light showers fell. In the evening there was a heavy rainfall. Tuesday’s gale was severely felt in the Kakahu district. Mr Borrell, of Beautiful Valley, had several of his outbuildings destroyed by trees falling on them. Mr Wright’s stable had the roof carried away. The house occupied by Mrs Tindall had the roof lifted, and it would have been carried away but for Mr H., Waller, who tied it down with ropes. A shed belonging to Mr J. Leary had its roof carried away. Three large pines, 18 inches through,were blown down at the store, and some gums were also blown down. A large fire was raging in the tois- tois, but the rain quenched it before serious damage was done. The gale on Tuesday did considerable damage to the telegraph line between Ashburton and Timaru. Near the Hinds the telegraph poles were blown down for a distance of about a mde, and gum trees also suffered. The wires which cross the line at the Hinds station had to be held up to let the express train from the north go under. About 25 telegraph posts were down on the Timaru side of the Hindp, It was estimated that over 70 posts were down in all, and the shelter shed at one of the wayside stations in the Hinds locality was also upset. At Ashburton on Tuesday about ten o’clock a strong north-west wind sprang up, and by midday had increased to a gale ; this continued with great violence till evening, when a heavy rain set in and the gale moderated. The wind was the strongest experienced for some years, and did considerable damage. The telegraph line both north and south was broken down and communication interrupted. The station at Windermere was blown over, several windows were broken, chimney pots destroyed, and a large number of trees blown down. A telegram from Hokitika says :—A terrific gale from the north-west was blowing all Tuesday, accompanied by heavy rain. Old houses, trees, fences, &c., have suffered considerably. The river is rising, and a heavy flood is anticipated, as the rain is warm enough to melt the snow.