TUESDAY’S GALE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2535, 29 July 1893, Page 3

TUESDAY’S GALE.

Our Peel Forest correspondent writes : —A most terriflic gale from the N.W. raged here the most part of Tuesday, being at its height at about 2,30 p.m. Many of the houses in the township have suffered damage to roofs and verandahs. Mr Button’s saw mill was on fire twice, but it was soon put out. The fire started iu the forest where clearing was being carried on. I have not heard of any damage done by fire, though the whole village had a narrow escape, the fire catching some of the garden fences. The Road Board dwelling house lost some sheets of iron, and part of the ridging, but luckily the wind dropped when the rain began, and the clerk and surfacemen were able to repair the roof temporarily before night. The Road Board plantations have suffered very greatly; those round the office and buildings have had quite 10 per cent, of the trees blown down. While the gale was at its worst the office chimney caught fire, and masses of burning soot were blown among the trees, starting fires among the pine needles, but they were promptly put out, and the chimney allowed to burn itself out, for no one could stand on the roof. In the forest the large trees, came down iu a wholesale m"liner. One or two very providential escapes from serious accidents happened; one being the case of an old swagger, who was sound asleep in a “tumble down ” whare when the gale was at its worst. A large Totara came crashing down within a few feet of the whare in which the man was sleeping quite unconscious of how near he was to death. The lucky swagger afterwards “ thanked his stars ” that he was not crashed to a jelly. Mr Whoelband, bcensee of the Rangitata Bridge hotel, also had a narrow escape frrom falling trees. He had only left the bush a few moments with his horse and cart, when, right on the spot where he had come from, a number of large trees fell in all directions.

Further reports to hand of the effects of Tuesday’s nor’-wester, show that in the vicinity of Orari Gorge the gale was felt with great severity. Chimneys were blown down, parts of verandahs carried away from private residences, and other damage done. A Dunedin telegram says; —A heavy gale, followed by continuous rani, prevailed over the Dunstan valley from 3 o’clock on Tuesday morning till 10 o’clock. All the creeks aud rivers in the district are in high flood through nr Ring snow. Between Cromwell and Queenstown considerable damage has been done to roads and culverts. The coach drivers say that it was the worst gale experienced for 12 years. The Otago Daily Times says:—The gale of Tuesday, which almost completely missed Dunedin, has done a lot of damage iu the country districts. Our Tapanui correspondent states that the wind approached hurricane force iu that district, and trees were uprooted and buildings and gardens damaged. Our Roxburgh correspondent telegraphs that the gale there continued well into the afternoon. No serious damage was reported. In the Upper Taien district the gale followed on a series of heavy snow storms. The gale was at its height when a heavy thunderstorm came on. Our correspondent describes the scene as appalling. The hurrricane piled up the snow into drifts mountains high, and it is feared the spring will reveal great losses among the flocks iu the higher country. As mentioned by our Arrowtown correspondent yesterday, heavy rain feU in the Lakes district, causing all the rivers to rise rapidly. The heavy gale caused the snow to melt rapidly, aud iu portions of Vincent County the roads have suffered severely. At Oamaru the windows in some of the schools were blown in. The gale of Tuesday wrecked the recently erected Presbyterian Church at Hanmer Plains. The damage is about £350.