DAMAGE FROM STORM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22592, 23 December 1938, Page 10

DAMAGE FROM STORM

EXTENT IN SOUTH CANTERBURY

MANY CROPS BATTERED AND RUINED LOSSES OF SOME THOUSANDS OF POUNDS [THE PRESS Special Service.! GERALDINE, December 22. The damage caused by yesterday’s hailstorm at Geraldine was worse than at first thought, and reports that came to hand to-day indicate that the damage will run into some thousands of pounds. All the market gardeners in the Geraldine area suffered heavy loss, fruit from their trees and vegetables being cut back to the ground. Probably the worst loser will be Mr J. Johnstone, of Raukapuka, who estimates his loss to be at least £l5O. A whole field of peas, from which he estimated to net about £6O from Christmas and New Year pickings, was completely stripped and podded, and he found it necessary to cancel his Christmas orders. Freshly-dug potatoes which he left on the surface when he rushed for shelter were scarred and pulped in an unbelievable fashion, and small fruits, such as gooseberries, were pulped and cut to pieces. Potatoes were also badly cut back, and Mr Johnstone was doubtful about whether they would recover. Marrows, onions, parsnips, carrots and other produce also suffered similarly. Although he missed the centre of the storm, Mr Jack Chapman considers he will be a loser by as much at £l2O. His worst losses, he said, were small fruit, including raspberries, plums, and currants.

Similar reports of damage were given, by other market gardeners in the south end of Geraldine.

Gladioli Suffer The well-known gladioli gardens of Mr G. Coombs also suffered severely, and he said this afternoon that the damage would probably reach more than £IOO. It would be some time before he could estimate the full extent of the damage, ho-wever. He feared that the propagating corms and crop generally would receive a severe set-back. Very heavy rain was experienced by Mr John De Renzy, Winchester road, but his extensive strawberry and raspberry crops were not damaged by hail. He considers himself fortunate, as farmers living less than a mile away to the east experienced one and a half inches of hail, which damaged raspberries, cut back the clover, and drove young swedes into the ground. Reports from the Barbarafield area stated that wheat, swede turnips, and rape suffered severely. Mr George Friend, Kakahu road, said that his wheat had been badly cut and battered. Two feet of hail had been shifted from the roof after the storm.

Pleasant Point District Suffers Crops in the Pleasant Point district also suffered severely, and it was stated to-day that the storm had cost farmers in that, area thousands of pounds. Totara Valley. Tycho, and Opihi were all affected. Farmers in the Totara Valley and Opihi areas described the storm as the most severe blow for many years. Mr H. M. Smith, Totara Valley, said that over the whole notato crons the plants were almost stripped to the roots and two acres of young oats and grass now bore the appearance of a ploughed paddock. The storm apparently covered an area included in the rectangle formed by Hazelburn. Mount Peel. Geraldine, and Pleasant Point, and many of the farmers in this area will have to sow again their swede turnips.

Goslings Killed “Crops that looked in fine condition were battered to pieces in a few minutes,” said Mr Smith. In 40 years’ experience he had never seen the like. The hailstones were so large—about half an inch in diameter, he said—that young goslings were found dead with their heads bleeding from the force with which the hail fell. A whole paddock of wheat on his property had been ruined, Mr G. A. Henderson. Opihi. reported. All the crops had been badly cut about, he said.

One of the neighbouring farmers. Mr Walter Collett, had windows in his house broken, and other houses let in water after the down-pipes had been blocked. Oats were badly damaged on the farm of Mr Omelvena. Hilton, and on the Askin Estate, Raukapuka, Geraldine, five acres of certified mother seed ryegrass received a severe buffeting.

Reports from Hilton stated that tall poplar trees on the Hilton-Barbarafield road went down in the storm. They damaged the bridge at Black creek and brought down the power lines.

Second Storm Experienced A second storm of severe intensity was experienced at Geraldine this afternoon about 3.30. Heavy rain, hail, and sleet was accompanied by strong gusts of wind, thunder, and lightning. Up till noon to-day. Mr B. R. Macdonald “Waitui,” reported 6.60 inches of rain for December. This brings the total fall for the year to date to 47.54 inches, and it was still raining heavily at 5 p.m. The average rainfall at Geraldine for the last 21 years is only 29.50 inches, and the previous record fall was 37.55 inches, in 1936. Actually in the last 13 months 56.96 inches have been recorded. last December also being an exceptionally wet month, with a fall of 9.42 inches.