A HEAVY GALE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4114, 16 May 1892, Page 3

A HEAVY GALE.

'Damage to the Railway Line. Tbe N.H, Times says an exceptionally heavy gale was experienced in Wellington on Saturday and yesterday mprning, The gale sprang up about 5 o'olock on Friday, accom» panied withheavy rain, and oontinued increasing until Saturday afternoon it blew with almost hurricane force. It was one of tbe heaviest gales experienced in Wellington for years, A small portion of ibo railway line between Wellington and Petone was injured, and a considerable amount of damage was caused in various parts of the city by the gale. .Fences, billboards, trees and chimuey pots were toppled over in all directions, The weather moderated yesterday morning, At about 6,50 p.m. the down train from the Wairarapa, due in Wellington at 7.88 p.m., tan into a tree that had been blown down, and fallen across the line at a point about a mile and a half on tho Lower Hutt Bide of Hayward's station - , or twelve and a half from the oily, resulting in the engine, two trucks, and two of the carriages being derailed, luckily without injury to anyone. As the restoration to the line of the derailed engine and vehicles would have involved some hours' work for a considerably number of men, the guard was at once despatched to tbe Lower Hutt (four and a half miles distant) for a relief Ljpn, which arrived at tho point of about nino o'clock. The passengers and luggage were at once transferred to it, and it immediately returned to the Lower Hutt, On arrival at that station it was found that after tbe passage of the quarter past six train from Wellington to the Lower Hutt, the heavy sea running in the harbour bad encroached on the line in several places between Petono and Wellington, and for the night at all events had made it impassable for f, any train. Thin necessitated arrange--4 merits being made by tbe Railway Department for otherwise conveying their passengers from Petone to Wei- . lington, and for that purposo three of Lane's well appointed drags were engaged, and by these tbe passengers were landed at Wellington at a quarter past 11. A number of men were despatched to the derailed train at an early hour yesterday morning, and it was replaced on the line,'anil reached Petone workshops at 1.80 p,m, The railway stock libb not been jerioußiy damaged. The train which ~4seft Wellington at 4,45 p.m. passed the point at which the tree fell about an hour before the Wairarapa train, and tbe line was then of course dear, The tree that fell was of large dimensions, but fortunately only its upper and lighter limbs had fouled the line, Had iis trunk' fallen across the rails'; the accident might ikvb been attended with serio'uß results.' '' ' ." 'Considerable damage was done to the railway line between Ngahanranga and Petone by the heavy sea which ran in the harbour during the foroe of tbe gale on Saturday, • -

[By Telegraph.—Press Association.] Wellington, Monday. The damage done at the Hnttisnot Very serious, amltraffio will lißMUmi (I to-day. The weather has now oleared up, tho 3un is shining brightly, and there is no wind,