TROPICAL CYCLONE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25084, 16 January 1947, Page 2

TROPICAL CYCLONE

DIRECTION CHANGED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, January 15. A change in direction saved the east edast of New Zealand from the impact of a turbulent fringe of a tropical cyclone early this morhing, although the cyclone brought heavy winds and rain in the Gisborne area, and through a gap in the ranges, winds of gale force to the New Plymouth and Stratford areas. On its first plotted course the cyclone was ’ expected to include the Auckland Province in the edge of its path between about 1 a.m. and noon today, but at 6 a.m. it was reported 100 miles off East Cape and moving south-south-east. At noon it was estimated at 200 miles east of East Cape, and moving away from New Zealand as its force dissipated. The air liner Kahu from Auckland to the south, via New Plymouth, struck heavy winds, which were a by-pro-duct of the storm in the Taranaki area, and reached Wellington 40 minutes late. The vessel Matua, which left Auckland yesterday for Suva, later turned north-west, apparently to avoid the centre of the storm. The Pan American Clipper Liehtfoot omitted its usual call at Tontouta because of the cyclone, but its time of 5 hours 17 minutes for the flight from Suva to Auckland was a record for a commercial flight. The aircraft passed within 125 miles of the storm centre.