WIRELESS MASTS AFFECTED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22308, 24 January 1938, Page 12

WIRELESS MASTS AFFECTED

STRONG WINDS AT GREYMOUTH CONSIDERABLE -DAMAGE TO PROPERTY (PHESS ASSOCIATION TEI.KCUAII.) GREYMOUTH. January 23. A wintry gale, with squalls of sleety rain, which swept Grcymouth this afternoon, did considerable damage to property. Fences were flattened, sheds unroofed and wireless masts blown down by the gale, which lasted most, of the afternoon. Many cases of windows of houses being torn from their hinges are reported. Station 3ZR's (iO-feet lattice, aerial mast, erected above Central Chambers, was partly demolished, necessitating the curtailment of the programmes. Rain, which began on Saturday morning, brought relief to farmers on all parts of the West Coast, after a prolonged dry spell, which was seriously afTecting pastures. Gold dredges, depending mainly on consistent rainfall were also hampered in their operations since the holidays, but the rain will enable them to carry on as usual. Week-end sport fixtures at Greymouth were cancelled because of the rain. All rivers and streams are running high,,with a heavy fresh in the] Grey river. Little inconvenience has been caused to motorists and no slips or wash-outs are reported on the roads or railway linos. Most traffic proceed- < ing to Christchureh lias been diverted I along the Lewis Pass road, as the road! through Arthur's Pass is mil known! to be negotiable. I

TELEPHONE LINES DOWN

WESTPORT POWER SUPPLY INTERRUPTED

[THE PRESS Special Service] WESTPORT, January 23. Wind, approaching gale fonje at times this afternoon, accompanied tne rain storm which began in the Buller district yesterday, bringing to an end a long spell of fine and unusually hot weather.

Telephone communication between Wcstport and Karamea was lost during the day, and had not been restored at nightfall to-night. Trouble developed in the borough power supply Hues during the afternoon, apparently through a partial short circuit. Members of the electrical staff spent several hours during the afternoon trying to locate the scat of the trouble, but their efforts were hampered by the terrific force of the wind. It was discovered late in the afternoon that a tree had been blown across the high tension lines at McPadden's Hill, on the south side of the Buller bridge, and this was probably the cause of the trouble. Several trees have been blown down in various parts of Wcstport. The W'd weather is coming from the south- •-: :t, which is very unusual in the r. illor district. So far, 1:0 serious damage to roads has been reported.