A VIOLENT STORM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10716, 28 October 1912, Page 5

A VIOLENT STORM.

I INTERRUPTION OF SHIPPING, A WELLINGTON REPORT. {toy leieitraDtt—Pr«?J4 ; WELLINGTON. Last Night. Wellington was visited yesterday by an atrociously heavy gale accompanied by drenching rain. The early morning was fairly fine, but about eleven o'clock a southerly bfezard sprang up suddenly, and increased in violence throughout tne afternoon., making outdoor traffic extremely difficult. Trees were uprooted and fences blovyiMlown in many places. The harbour wag very rough, an<J tho water washed over the railway line between Wellington and Petone. Trains camo along very slowly, and the spray, was thrown against the witKlowe. To-day there is a remarkaSle change the weather being well nigh perfect. The Arahura, which left Wellington at 1 p.m. for Picton, encountered a dan geroUß breaking sea at the entrance. After rolling almost helplessly into the trough of the seas, the vessel was turned, and got hack tcr the wharf: During the process of turning, the main discharge pipe buret, and the quantity of witter almost filled th 6 stokehold!. The saloon-was flooded out. The deck cargo and a motor car were damaged. This is the first time in seven years that the Arahura has been unable to got out from The vessel resumed her voyage at 8 o'clock this morning. Other vessels which experienced air exciting time wore the XTapourika (arrived at 6 p.m. on Satnrday from Sola on); the Himutaka, hound to LyUtelton (put back at 2 p.m. on SatI nrtfay); the Himitangi (arrived at j 8.35 a.m. to-day from Lyttelfcon) ; the big liner Arawa (arrived from ' Auckland at 7.20 to-day, aftor a tempesious passage). To-day's arrivals from the south rt-p'M'! fine weather,. with a slight hwotl. The Takapuna arrived at Welflngii.r, ihis morning, being unable to uUc mpt t'o cross the Strait last night.

IN THE SOUTH. 'DAMAGE IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRKTCHURCH, Last Night. •A .southerly gale-struck the city on Saturday morning, and ragqd furiously throughout the dky. ' 1 .Shortly after half-past seven, snow began'to fall in-Heavy flakes, but gavo way to a driving rain. . , Tlio gale had' a disastrous' effect on f'i-tnt. cVetv-i, hundreds being stripped. The result will probably he a great iy diminished fruit crop, Several chains of fencing \vero bld'V M down in different parts of tiif, . - *; gale wtLg s@V&fely Ifelt on CashnuT'c Hills, two or thrwi chimneys belonging to houses in the settlement ••being brought to'the ground';." Newly shorii fcheep in tfie country will feel the force of the gale. Tho weather will also affect late lambing on tho hills. The gale broke ovor Sumner at 5 o'clock on Friday night with hurricane force, and increased 1 , in severity all throughout the night, nocompaniied by driving rain,., hail and sleet.. A substantial six-roomed house in course of erection at Redclife's, was levelled to tho ground during the night. A number of small outhouses lying on the flat, and another 12-roomed house in course of erection at ''The Spur," RedcJiffes, were also blown down. After a passage of nearly 17 hours, the Maori arrived in port at 1 p.m., steinming tip the harbour in tho face of fierce squalls. Captain Aldwell informed a reporter that ft had been bidwing a hurricaaxe all the way from .Wellington heads, and the trip was the worst the Maori had ever experienced in her 5 years' running. The sea. started to make when tho Maori was ten miles to tho northward; of Cape Campbell, and the weather conditions became rapidly worse as she steamed full speed into the teeth of tho gale. No other vessels on the coast could have como through in the time taken, by the Maori. Her highpower turbines giving, lier a big advantage over other 'steamers. TIMARU, Last Night. The gale appears to have blown out. The wind reached a heavy galb , at times.

Many trees were blown, down in phees, and some country telephone lines are down.

Tho ranges are white on the tops.

Orchard's havo suffered considerably, the young fruit being thrashed off.'

AT I'ALMERSTON.

PALMKRSTON X. Last Night

A heavy fall of snow, lasting an hour, was experienced in Palmerston North on Saturday afternoon. Such a storm has been unprecedented for this time of year during the last 25 years. The Tararuas and Ruahincs were covered with a beautiful white, mantle which encircled the whole district and presented; a magnificent sight. Tod.iy all appearances of the snow had vanished, but as a result of its rapid melting, the Manawatu river, which provides the chief drainage of the district, had swollen and inundated the low-lying country. To-day the weather had again changed back to summer.