TE AROHA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1727, 31 July 1883, Page 3

TE AROHA.

Ji vtiitf se\ f eW frost was' experienced on Sunday night last, the ground on Monday fnorning bei ha; quite bard and covered with ltbar-frost } ice' was' also plentiful, water vessels being covered in some instances to the thickness of a quarter of jiti^inch, "white Vcll-pumps were completely choked, and' could not be used until, the temperature had been raised. On Tuesday the weather changed, the '.frost entirely disappearing and rain beginning to fall in the forenoon ; about dusk it commenced to blow a gnlc •accompanied by n* heavy rainfall ; the > wind increased to a hurricane, and conj'tinned in furious gusts, accompanied by • torrents of rain for 24 hours. A great > deal of damage was done to buildings by ? the wind. A stable, the property of Mr G. S. O'Hallornn, was blown down on Tuesday .evening, and before morning there was scarcely any of the material remaining on the ground, the most part having been blown away and scattered over the adjacent lots. The framework of the lower story of • the Hot Springs Hotel, which had been newly erected, was levelled to the ♦ ground, and it was dangerous for peop'e passing that way on account of the *• quantity of pieces of wood and iron flying about, One piece of wood was 'mown aefcross the creek, and broke the .window of Mr Purchas' office, and the "Tain getting in caused a great deal of ' : ,<li»magc-t0 his plans and papers in the , office. .'• ' • The front of Wells and Soutter's grain ». store was blown out. A great portion of ' "' the iron roof of Mr Moore's house was ,s*tori> off by the wind, and scattered over ,tho ground. The roof of Mr Carrs house ■ ; on tnfe Waiorongomai road was also in- # . jured, about a dozen sheets of iron being •'torn up and blown away. A brick chinv -ney lately erected by Mr Heatbcote at • his cottage was blown over, but fortu- . natoly fell off the house, and numerous other buildings and fences suffered damage to some extent. At Waiorongomai the walls and framework of Kilian's new hotel were ' levelled to the ground. Crump's cottage ; was turned upside down. The Public .Hall travelled 26 feet from its original stand, and Thompson's house, lately oc- ; cupied by Mr Picket, was moved the *- length of itself from the foundation. The front window of Mr Hare's store was ' broken, and considerable damage done to the drapery displayed there. There was ajso considerable damage 'done to many of the biidgcs and culverts on the roads, all the creeks becoming perfect torrents, and the losv-lying flats near the river being eutiicly under water. A slip occurred at either end of the tunnel on the tramway which will require j a few days labour in moving the debris. The damage done at Butler's Spur is not sogfiPeatas might have been expected, . con/Sidering the very heavy rainfall, and a , ft^ fine days will set the whole to rights again as before. Tl c storm was -certainly one of the worst experienced by the writer during a 20 years' residence in the Noitli Island . of New Zealand. The wind blew with such terrific force, driving the rain almost horizontally duriiigtheheavy gusts that it was impossible to face it. The houses weie shaken to such a, degree by the wind that it was a matter of uncertainty to the most of us whether we should be overturned or not, and I do not think that very many of the inhabitants enjoyed unbroken slumber on Tuesday night last.

Mining. Premier.-- The rise on No. 1 reef is now broken through to the surface, and the men are employer! m.iking a gronnd shoot from the workings in No. 2 reef to the top of the rise. The hopper timber is now rendy, and a contract for its erection will be let on Sntimlay. Colonist. — The winze is now down over 30 feet, but the men have been sent to work in the low level until the weather gets more settled. About 10 feet has yet to be driven to get under the winze. The Waiorongomai Company have cut a likely lode near the Inverness boundary, and some very fair stone has been taken from the reef, which is over two feet in thickness. This find has been the cause of an advance in the price of the company's shares. F. License.. — The manager still continues to get good stone from the leaders lately opened. Theie is nothing ficsh to report from the other mines. A little work is being done, and they .ire w.iiting for the tram to be completed in order to get a trial crushing* The members of the county council visited Waiorongomai during their stay at Te Aroha, and expressed satisfaction at the progress and prospects of the place. It is sincerely to be hoped that now, since the councillors have all had actual experience of our roads, that more energetic endeavours for their improvement will be made. Talking of the county council and councillors, without flattery to them, on looking in at their meeting one is impressed that in point of general physique and intellectual development, they compare favourably with most local governing bodies met with. — (Own Correspondent, July2Brh.)