ORIGIN OF STORM

GALE NOT A RECORD

The storm conditions did not extend much beyond Cook Strait. Over most of the South Island, though overcast in places, the weather was for the most part fine, with light and moderate easterly breezes pre-

vailing. The storm originated in a tropical cyclone which was first heard of near Vila, in the New Hebrides, on Tuesday ' night. The centre moved south until at about midday on Saturday it passed Norfolk Island. During Saturday night it developed a most unusual burst of speed, and by 9 a.m. on Sunday was centred near Kawhia, having in the meantime deepened consiredably. It then began to move southeast and had a still greater speed, so that by yesterday morning at 9 o'clock it had passed beyond Chatham Island. It was apparently while the cyclone was deepening and changing its direction to the south-east that the most severe conditions developed in the southern half of the North Island.

The rain is the heaviest since 1924 when on December 18 and 19 there was a total of 4.84 inches. The heaviest rainfall so far recorded in Wellington was 6.32 inches on February 25, 1911. There was a very heavy storm which caused heavy rains in many parts of the North Island. There was a southerly gale at Wellington which gave a total run in 24 hours of 860 miles, an average of 36 miles per hour. On Sunday the record at Kelburn was 449 miles for the 24 hours.