FIERCE HURRICANE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20991, 19 December 1939, Page 8

FIERCE HURRICANE

NEW HEBRIDES STORM HAVOC WROUGHT ON ISLANDS SETTLEMENT DESTROYED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) AUCKLAND, Tuesday The graphic story of a hurricane that swept the New Hebrides, levelling all buildings in its path and uprooting trees, was told when the Melanesian mission ship Southern Cross arrived at Auckland after a 15-months’ trip to the Islands. The motorship encountered the full blast of the hurricane, and with twin engines running full steed she stood practically still in the face of an 80-miles-an-hour wind, three miles off the island of Toga. The only damage was to a lifeboat, which was torn from its lashings and smashed in the raging sea.

“ The ship behaved marvellously,” said saptain T. A. MacPherson. “ For a time w r e worried about the steering gear, but it held and the ship rode out the hurricane like a duck. We shipped only two seas, but during the worst of the blow the ship was awash.” Settlement Wiped Out Torrential rain fell throughout the hurricane. Port Vila, in the south, missed the hurricane, but the islands in the north, especially Lama Langa, suffered badly, while on the island of Aoba the settlement of Lolowai was wiped out. The only passenger on the ship during the storm was Mr J. Surr, one of the secretaries of the Bishop of Melanesia, who was at Tulagi, in the Solomons. The scene of devastation on the island of Aoba was described by the Rev. H. Reynolds, of Wellington, a missionary who is on furlough. He stated the night was a terrible one. All buildings were razed, including the native church and school. Serious Loss of Fruit More serious, however, was the loss of trees and fruit at the school. A new orange grove had been established, and the fruit was ripening for the first crop. Every tree was uprooted, some being blown to the top of a mountain inland. Coconut trees were blown over or stripped of all their fruit and foliage, while bananas and limes were ripped and battered, the ground being carpeted with a thick coating of fruit. Damage is believed to be widespread on other islands, especially those to the north. It was thought that coconut plantations would suffer severely and heavy losses- result to growers. z

During the 15 months since she left New Zealand the Southern Cross did not sight another ship.