A FIERCE GALE.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14513, 20 December 1912, Page 8

A FIERCE GALE.

THE CITY IN A CLOUD.

DAMAGE TO TREES.

A fierce gale wrought havoc in severnl parts of North Cantorbmy yesterday and in tho city fruit trees suffered extensive damage. Tho wind sprung up early in tho morning, and quickly developed into tho most severo Nor - wester experienced hero this year. A& times tho force of tho ga'e was very severely felt, and there wero several narrow escapes from aeddento in tho streets. On tho Avon last evening were many evidences of tho violence of tho storm. Stout iimbs from willow trees had been wrenched off their parent trunks, and were floating in score* down with tho current. In tho city tin and wooden fences gave way beforo tho wind, nnd in a back street a heavy pieco of corrugated iron was carried for several chains. Clouds of choking dust seriously interfered with traffic, and thcro were times when the streets seemed enveloped in white gaseous vapour. In Paj-.'iri'ii rjad iho petlostrian was right in tho path of gusts of wind that laid wigo to tho city A t.ram-cnr approaohing tho <;ity seemed to bo like noth ijg so much in the world as art nrmoured train heaving broadsides. Bust swirled round tho wheels and poured in the doors and windows with blinding force. Watnr-carts were useless until tho galo dropped in tho evening and thero was calm.

Telegraphic communication was interfered with all day. Tho wires North South and West would only work proporly at rare intervals, for, though they wi>re not broken, tho heavy wind blew them into contact Gangs were out, but no sooner hnd they got one wiro clear, than tho others were* blown toeether. Early in t'lo ovon'ng however, complete communication was restored.

AT LYTTELTON

The worst nor-trest gale in several years was experienced at Lyttelton yesterday. Thero wns a heavy downpour of rain early in tho mornin.a;. but is had little or no effect in eliecldng the dust nuisance. The cnlo blew with terrific force at times, ccnapletely drying tin' the moisture, and carrying huge clouds of dust and debris through t'>o streets nnd the station yn p d. The hills on the south side of the bnrbour were almost hidden at times behind t!>e yellow veil of dust, which wns cafried by the gale. There wns no of n water-cart in tho streets during t'io mornins, and no efforts were rmulo to water tho streets nnd to lay the dWt until the afternoon. The barometer fell mnicTly aumc the morning, nnd the of nt noon was 29.0!). The Sale moderated towards the eremnjj, w*>en tho barometer wns rising The wind ohnnced to the south-west about sunset.