STRONG DECEMBER GALE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1305, 7 December 1911, Page 4

STRONG DECEMBER GALE.

FLAGSHIP DRIVEN OUT TO SEA. (Br TelcEraph.-l'rcts Association.) Christchurch, December 6. A very violent north-west gale blew itf tho city to-day. and tho gusts wore exceptionally strong when the gale was at its height about midday. At Lancaster Park the roof of the stand cn the east, side of the ground was lifted bodily, and the larger portion deposited on the roofs of houses in Wilsons Road. Ono portion was deposited 011 to the front part of a house, making a gaping hole in tlie roof, and smashing the verandah. The total damage is estimated at .KlfiflO.

At Lyltolton the squalls wore of extraordinary violence, raising a heavy se.i in the outer harbour, and whirling clouds of spray high in the air. H.M.S. Powerful, anchored in the stream, caught tho full force of the gale, a.nd, at 10 a.m., went off to sea.

The Governor was to have visited ViceAdmiral King-Hull, but the visit was cancelled. The wind has abated somewhat, and there are indications that it It shifting to the south-west.

Dunedin, December C. A heavy south-westerly gale prevails in Dunedin, and for a considerable distance north and south. Considerable damage, chiefly of a minor nature, was done. At Henley a little girl named Jessie Rcid, while taking a messago to tho railway station, was struck by a pieco of tho roofing of a goods shed which hail been dislodged, and sustained a bod fracture of the right leg. besides being sevorely bruised. The girl was removed to tho hospital. The tablet porter's hi;t at Purakanui was blown over, and caught fire, being completely burnt. 11 is also reported that two private residences at Pun* kanui have been blown down.

Ashburtoni December 6. \ strong north-west gate blow ot Ashburton all morning, and, about 9.3D, it blew down the north-west brick wall of the new theatre now in course of erection. Tho wall, for the whole length, was completetv demolished, almost level with the ground. It was 28 feet high and about 100 feet long. Tho rest of the wall will now also have to como down. It is feared that tho south-west wall is also badlv tihaken, as it was seen to sway badlv several times when tho north-west wall' caved in. Men were fastening ropes with a view to saving it, aiul or,o luaa had to iuniji a considerable height from the scatfoldiug to tho ground. He escaped without injury.