MERGE GALE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19463, 9 November 1928, Page 10

MERGE GALE.

> DUST CLOUDS SWEEP [ CITY. 1 UPROOTED TREE FALLS ON POWER LINE. r ~ . i At about half past two yesterday , morning one of the worst gales for a ' number of months struck the City. A clap like a burst of thunder disturbed I sleepers, even heavy sleepers, and • within a very few seconds huge clouds of dust were -sweeping down the ; streets. The gale raged until just before dawn, when it seemed to die dpwn, and ' the sun rose with just a light breeze. although there was a heavuy clouded i sky. However, the lull did not last for long, and very soon the wind again began to rise, and was blowing with tremendous force once again. Officials lit the Observatory stated that ip their opinion the gale was stronger by far than the one which did so ijiuch damage a couple of months back. Before 8 o'clock, just at the height of the storm, the speed of the wind was calculated to be at least 50 miles an hour. Although the velocity of the wind was so high, not a great deal of damage was done in tne City. Some of the willows on Park terrace failed to withstand the onslaught or the- gale and fell. Minor damage was done in the gardens, while suburban fences and isolated trees were brought down. A sixty-foot wireless marst belonging to an amateur in Fendalton snapped off and was only saved by • the guys from doing a great deal of damage to a nearby builaiiig. Also 3ZC had a stroke of exceedingly had Inofc, for their new short-wave aerial was totally wrecked, and during the height of the storm one of the steel masts supporting the big aerial broke about twenty feet frqm the top. Two men who had just conie from an adjoining building to collect a large sheet of iron blown on. to 3ZC's roof from their own—:a distance of about twenty feet—had a very narrow escape. When the mast crashed it game within a very few feet of them, i Had it struck them they most cer- i tftinly would have been killed. Just a week ago the Public Works Department let a contrftot for the removal of several large trees near Brackenfield. Work haa commenced) but one of the largest Jiad beep left lentil the last, and early in the learning, wjth a terrific crash, jt oame ana severed the middle power line, which feeds Christchurch with electricity. The whole tree was upr rooted and was carried across the line. Although some damage wps dope to the telegraph lines between CnPifitchurch and the West Coast, no serious interruption occurred to the; service, owing to the quick work and efficiency of the linesmen. A tree at Islington came down across the lines, and also in the north several trees fell against wires At the commencement or the gale linestpen started out and inspected the lines, and gpngq of men Went on duty and- kept a very close Sitch for interruptions. Ab a result ere wag little or no delay in the transmission of telegrams, The gale is generally reported as the Worst experienced here fop iSome con* siderfthje time, # The strong wind which blew from the r}orth-west at Rangiora on Wednesday night increased to almost a gale yester* day mprning, and at Hiboijt 0 p'atook it Was almost a hurricane, . Trees w?fe blown down, nna considerable damage was done to the electric light wires, n number of pales being broken.- SeveTal fiheds in the track of the. gale Were unroofed, and some wrecked' Fortunately, the blow did not last long, mug after a shower 6f rain' bright sunshine rifled for the rest of the d&y, BLUFF FISHING FLEET DAMAGED. (press association telegbau.) INVTiIRCARGfILL, November g, 'Early fTns morning 9 terrific gqle ■ swept acfross ElJtjff harbour, pausing a fajr atnoupt of flfcflwge to the falling and oyster, beate tooorfd at fcta wharves. The wind rose about S) ftifft; from west-nor'-west, and gggn gale force). Many of the veSßfls Wpro in danger of drifting fool^s ashore,! through the parting or the jnooririg lines, bill; the WM aware of the danger, ajQQ dqiekjy gflf into commuiijeatjpn w?s the *§FtelM owners. Most of the damage W4s , to fishing |one bo&tV&t6rn Defile weather later jil the inOnuhg. : '