STORM DAMAGE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 185, 4 May 1936, Page 5

STORM DAMAGE

Telegraph and Telephone Services Disrupted RADIO USED IN PLACES Disruption to telephone and telegraph circuits in both islands was quickly repaired by the Post and Tele graph Department. Early on Saturday morning, before the storm was felt in Wellington, communication with Auckland was broken, and other lines were brought down later in tbe day. In the /South Island the main trouble occurred with the Christchurch to Timaru line. Radio had to be used for the transmisI sion of urgent telegraphic and cable i matter between Auckland and Wellington, and between Christchurch and Westport. Yesterday, however, temporary repairs had been effected to all lines and permanent repairs were being carried out. The service was back to normal. Falling trees were responsible for most of the disruption. Seven break-s occurred south of Auckland, and three in the South Island. A tree crashing across the main trunk lines between Wellington and Auckland, at a point between Holcombe and Marton, started the trail of damage. This occurred at G. 30 a.m. on Saturday and the break had been repaired for telephone purposes by 9 a.m. Further breaks occurred between Wanganui and New Plymouth, New Plymouth and Awakino, Palmerston Nortli and Waipukurau, Waipukurau and Napier, Napier and Taupo, Gisborne and Auckland, and Hamilton and Auckland. None of the trouble offered much difficulty to the repair gangs, however. Communication between Wellington and Auckland was established at about noon on Saturday, was lost for about an hour in the afternoon, and then restored again. With the channels available the department soon disposed of ■tbe traffic it had, and by 9 pan. it was clear of all traffic to Auckland. Thougn there were a number of interruptions to telegraph and telephone lines elsewhere throughout the day, only traffic to and from Auckland was subject to delay, the department being able to dispose of other traffic with the reduced services. On Saturday morning urgent telegraphic matter and cables were handled by ratlio, but the limited facilities offered by that means resulted in serious delay. In the South Island'the storm caused trouble between Christchurch and Timaru, Christchurch and Westport, and Westport and Nelson. For a shoit time Westport was isolated, radio having to be called into use. By 11 a.m. on Saturday, however, all South Island circuits had been restored by temporary repairs, except for telephonic communication between Christchurch and Dunedin. This defect was remedied later in the day. Wellington's telephonic service suffered to some extent from falling branches and from tbe rubbing together of wind-blown wires. About 100 subscribers in the Wellington area were without service yesterday morning but repairs were made during the day. The system was restored completely without the loss of much time. ' The Broadcasting Board had received no information yesterday of damage to any of its stajions. The service, from none,of the board’s stations was interrupted, and the. relay stations also were not affected. EASTBOURNE DAMAGE Hutt Escapes Lightly There was a fair amount of damage at Eastbourne, where a part of the old concrete wall at the northern corner of the recreation ground and at the end of Tuatoro Street collapsed, considerable erosion taking place near the gymnasium. The fall of the wall was caused by the sea getting in behind and routing out the filling. , The new seawall stood up and served its purpose well, and only nt one place at the northern end was there any trouble. “Had it not been for the seawall that lias just been coifipleted, I ant quite sure that we should have had two or three houses washed to sea.” said the Mayor, Mr. E. W. Wise, who added that the work of repairing the damage would be put in hand immediately, or as soon as finance was available. The seawall would be extended a little further nortli to protect two places there. The Eastbourne transport services had also to be suspended. The J 2.15 p.m. ferry from Wellington disembarked her passengers at Day’s Bay after considerable trouble, and the buses that left Wellington at 12.15 and 1 p.m. were unable to get through until about 3 p.m., the road between Seaview Road and Howard Point being under water and blocked by cars, which had suffered trouble owing to water having entered the engines. The bus service from Eastbourne was resumed at 4.20 p.m.

The -only moving traffic along this stretch of highway was a pack of harriers—making very slow progress. Tbe Eastbourne buses were towed through by the grader, and one of (he sights furnished by tbe storm was that of a big Eastbourne bus being towed home by the grader, with a car hitched on behind the bus, v Power lines in the area also suffered considerably, and gangs from the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board silent all yesterday repairing lines. Along Park Road some high tension wires came down about noon and were blown against a passing bus with a bright flash alid a sharp report and alarming the passengers, but doing no other damage. Right along the seafront from the Petone Esplanade around to Eastbourne great waves swept spectacularly across tbe road, making conditions for motorists both unpleasant and dangerous. This was particularly noticeable at the Pipe Bridge, which some small cars wore unable to negotiate. Less damage was done further up the Hutt Valley. It was impossible to cross the Melliug Bridge on foot unless one walked with a constant grip on the railings, but blown-down trees and broken windows were the chief damage. There was a little snow on the Mungaroa Hill, but otherwise the roads were clear. Motoring along tbe Hutt Road was most unpleasant, particularly for those travelling toward Wellington, and facing the southerly. Conditions there were at their worst at about 6 p.m., when the darkness and the high wind and'the rain reduced visibility almost to nil, despite the efforts of headlights and windscreen wipers, while “cars were blown off their courses repeatedly, making overtaking and passing a somewhat risky business. Yesterday some thousands motored to Eastbourne and along the seafront under entirely different conditions to see what damage had been done by the storm,

WEST COAST GALE

Severe at Greymouth By Telegraph.—Press Association. Greymouth, May >3. The West Coast on Friday night and yesterday morning experienced the most severe south-westerly gale for a lengthy period. The barometer on Friday ' evening was remarkably low, 28.87, and from 6 p.m. the gale increased, reaching hurricane force occasionally along tiie n hole western coastline. Hokitika, Kuniaia, Blackball, Rvnanga and other towns all report a most boisterous visitation, while Greymouth was partially deprived of electrical current and numerous radio masts were levelled, roofs loosened, and fences damaged. Yesterday linesmen, both telegraph and power board, were busy restoring disorganised circuits. The collapse of a power pole near Blaketown cut off power from 3 until 10 a.m. There were also interruptions to the power in Cobden and North Beach, and also in the town, but up country the lines stood up well and there was no interruption of the main supply, though the current fluctuated when tbe gales caused the line to make contact. Telephone and telegraphic lines were blown down throughout the district, and all communication with outside centres was interrupted from 1.30 till 9 a.m. yesterday. A tree across the lines at Wainihinihl broke the Christchurch circuit. There were also breaks on the coastal line to Westport and the Grey Valley line to Reefton Several telephone subscribers in Greymouth were cut off. some by fuses being blown, as the result of power and telephone lines coming in contact. The service was restored in the afternoon. Several roofs in Blackball were blown off and fences ,and verandas demolished. Numerous windows were broken in Runanga. The rain at Greymouth was showery, there being GO points in 24 hours. The storm blew out by daylight on Saturday and the weather was fine till showers recurred this evening. WASHOUT AT KARAMEA By Telegraph—Press Association. Westport, May 2. Very boisterous weather prevailed all last night and early this morning when an electrical storm was accompanied by a very high wind and hail. The damage appears to have been of a minor nature, a few plate-glass windows being broken, fences and trees blown over, and the tops of two chimneys knocked over. Telegraphic communication wag temporarily interrupted but the service was restored during the forenoon. At Karamea there was a washout near Market Cross and at Millerton a small slip came down on the track. Considering the boisterousness of the weather the damage appears to have been very slight. Fine weather prevailed to-day and the local football fixtures were played. SOUTHERN HAWKE’S BAY .Dominion Special Service. Dannevlrke, May 2. Dannevirke and the southern Hawkes Bay district experienced a real touch of winter weather to-day. Early last night a very strong wind set in which lasted throughout last night and all day to-day. Several heavy hailstorms were experienced first thing this morning, and heavy scattered showers fell for the remainder of the day. . Snow lies in small drifts quite close to the town at the foothills of the Ruahine ranges. Temi>eratures are very low. SOUTHLAND DAMAGE By Telegraph.—Press Association. Invercargill, May 3. Only minor damage was caused oy the south-westerly storm which swept ’ Invercargill on Friday afternoon, and yesterday it had moderated sufficiently 10 enable football matches to be played, but hockey fixtures were cancelled. In the country districts some power and telephone lines are down and trees blown over. The wind was accompanied by heavy rain, but the rivers have not risen to an extent that would cause alarm. Snow is lying on the hills around Dipton. In the city tbe power supply was interrupted in Gladstone suburb for two hours on Friday night, when the wind was at its worst.

The weather to-day is fine and cold, the wind having dropped to little more than a breeze SQUALLS AT TIMARU By Telegraph.—Press Association. Timaru, May 3. Heavy southerly squalls swept Timaru in the early hours of Saturday morning, but the wind abated during the day. No damage was reported. It was intensly cold and snow fell at Fairlie and on the high country. There was brilliant, sunshine all day to-day. Although the town was apparently well sheltered, a gale raged off the coast. The Canadian Challenger from Dunedin reached the roadstead at 3 a.m. on Saturday, but the master decided it would be dangerous to attempt to enter the harbour and rode out the storm at sea till this morning. The coaster Karn reported heavy squalls three miles off on Saturday night, but learning that there was little wind in the harbour proceeded to port and berthed safely. The Storm arrived from Dunedin and worked the port as usual, sailing this evening for Lyttelton. SPORTS CURTAILED The sports programme in Wellington had to be curtailed. Lower grade Association football and hockey matches were postponed, as was the basketball tournament and the women’s hockey. Rugby was restricted to the games set down for 3 o’clock, though the second division match which was to have been a curtain-raiser at. Athletic Park was transferred to Lyall Bay, and all secondary school matches were postponed. The 22 miles cycle race of the Wellington Centre, N.Z.A.C.A., which was to have opened the season, was not held. Practice matches arranged .for the Rugbv League football clubs were held. Golf matches were interfered with, too, though the final of the New Zealand Women’s Golf Union’s autumn foursomes was played in a howling storm at Miramar. Harriers were not discouraged from holding their runs.