DAMAGE IN AUCKLAND

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29799, 16 April 1962, Page 12

DAMAGE IN AUCKLAND

Roof Ripped From School (N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 15. High winds in Auckland brought tents down at the Auckland Easter Show, a 75ft television ma»t was folded in two. and a mobile stage in the arena was blown along on its trailer shout 60ft. Two sound towers were blown over and four loudspeakers attached were smashed. At Kelston this morning, about 5000 sq. ft. of aluminium roofing was ripped from the roof of the Kelston No. 2 primary school at present under construction.

Power failures plagued Auckland today as toppling trees dragged down wires throughout the Auckland metropolitan area. Repair gangs worked all day at top pressure to cope with the I widespread damage. A temporary workshop behind the police station in Carr street, Tuakau, was flattened by the gale. It was to be used while a new station and cells were built on .the site.

At Thames, a section of the Methodist Church was blown off temporary foundations in Sealey street. The 40-ton section bad been placed on drums, but the wind carried it four feet and it smashed down on new concrete piles, damaging the floor. During the day the church took on a 30-degree list, but was prevented from collapsing by a steel rope. The engineer-manager of the Central Waikato Electric Pow’er Board, Mr C. L. Walter, described the damage to lines in his area as “the worst for many years.” The gale played havoc with small craft on moorings and at anchor in the Auckland harbour and Hauraki Gulf Numbers of yachts, launches and runabouts tore loose from their moorings and went aground. Some were wrecked, ’others damaged. A dinghy completely disappeared. Aircraft Damage

Heavy branches were thrown over telephone lines, power poles broken and aircraft damaged when the gale swept across Taranaki this morning. The storm was brief, its trail of damage being made in only four hours But ir. that time it caused hundreds of pounds of damage in many small ways as well as forcing out as many electrical repairmen throughout the province as were available. At Hawera a light Piper agricultural aircraft valued at £3500 was badlv damaged when it tore loose from its fastenings and overturned. Strong winds at the New Plymouth airport also damaged a number of Cessna 180 topdressing aircraft picketed outside. The aircraft were later placed in a hangar.

The wind drove a launch aground at Port Taranaki. Several launches anchored in the harbour dragged their moorings. At Stratford, winds sliced off the roof and woodwork covering the kitchen of a house owned by Mr W W Campbell into the main street, cutting power off and narrowly missing traffic.